


Avatar: The White Lotus Gambit

by Thunderawesome



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Pre-Avatar: Legend of Korra, Pre-Avatar: The Last Airbender, Pre-Canon, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-29
Updated: 2017-05-24
Packaged: 2018-09-20 16:33:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 58,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9500258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thunderawesome/pseuds/Thunderawesome
Summary: Welcome the world of Avatar Dao Tsu, an Avatar from the time 1000 years before Aang and the 100 year war.  Think of the 1700's in our world.  The tall ship is the highest technology.  It's a world of danger and deception where the world is uncertain and many live in fear.  Follow Dao Tsu's journey to find that in a world where no one is safe, we need more than the Avatar.  Dao Tsu comes to realize that sometimes you need a team of special people to come together to save the world.This is the background setting for a Table Top Role Playing Game where you will become one of the first initiates to the Order of the White Lotus and help the Avatar save the world.  Good Luck.  You will need it.





	1. An Important Letter for an Important Person

An Important Letter for an Important Person

 

You wake up. You go about your normal routine, readying yourself for one more day of sweat and toil. Much like other days before this, you wonder if there is more to life than the lot that you find yourself in.

You dream of making a difference and helping your family and friends. You see them, afraid, and unable to make a better life for themselves. You see the people in power exploit those who are closest to you to stay in that position. You wish that you could use your abilities to help them, but you can't fathom where to start in such an endeavor.

How would you make their lives better? How could you ensure their safety? How could you make the world a better place?

You wish for answers, yet none come, much like every day before this. That is, until you come across an envelope. It has your name on it and nothing else. With a touch of apprehension, you open it, unsure of what you will find.

Its contents will change your life.

 

Greetings,

This letter finds you in dark times, and I am sorry for that. I have traveled through the nations, and I have seen a world full of danger and struggle. For years I have attempted to bring balance to the world. **I am Avatar Dao Tsu and I have failed.**

The purpose of the Avatar is to maintain balance in our world, and that is what I have attempted to do since I learned of my power. I grew up an orphan, raised in an unforgiving world. I have seen what happens when the strong take advantage of the weak. Once I learned of my abilities, I spent years traveling as much as I could and mastering the bending arts. In every nation I have tried to fix the problems I encountered. Few solutions have been permanent.

The **Fire Nation** is full of smoldering embers, and the right fuel could ignite a war. Fire Lord Nazama is a dangerous woman. With the Fire Nation's full force at her command, she has the power to crush any who do not submit to the crown's demands. She is only interested in acquiring stronger metals for weapons and training more powerful Firebenders for soldiers. As such, the Fire Nation has torn apart mountains and villages in their search of these ingredients, and the people have seen the worst of the harvest.

The winds of change are blowing in the **Air Temples**. They cling to their ideas of detachment, but are as bound to the ground as the Earth Nation. They are heavily invested in the trade of their crops and crafts to the other nations, and in turn each temple's true nature has been turning to its neighbor's way of life. The Fire Nation's need for grain has changed the surface of the land. The Water Tribe's insatiable hunger for wood exhausts the old forests that once stood. The Earth Kingdom's desire for raw ore carves their mountains to pebbles. With such strong tethers, the Air Nomads are more stationary than ever, and their once nomadic spirit has an uncertain future.

The **Water Tribes** are in violent torrent. The Northern Water Tribe has a militaristic desire for their Navy to be even stronger, despite their current superiority. The Southern Chiefs are more interested in keeping the Bear Whale Trading Company happy than building a formal military. The Northern Tribe wants to bring both fleets under one banner, making a tidal wave of a fleet that would wash over any naval force. The South would never allow this, as it would interfere with the inter-nation commerce that has made them wealthy. The Swamp Tribe has retreated into isolation, leaving no mediators at the table. I fear their once amiable nature is growing cold, and war is near.

The **Earth Kingdom** is rumbling. A new push towards a powerful military in response to the Fire Nation and Northern Water tribe is gaining strength. The young Earth Prince Gao has the ear of many of the Generals. He is ambitious, clever, and charismatic – a combination that can steer the normally stable Earth Kingdom into upheaval. His fear mongering makes the people desire walls for defense over pens for livestock. As I write this, plowshares are being traded for spears and schools for barracks. If a landslide starts, it heeds no life underneath; so it is with war.

The **Spirits** are angry, and their anger is something few can survive. The forges of the Fire Nation are ripping apart their mountains for ore for war machines. The Air Temples have stripped their lands trying to keep up the production of food and goods for the other nations. The ships of the Water Tribes come at the cost of any forest they can exploit. The mines of the Earth Kingdom dig deep and wreck havoc on the landscape. The Spirits cry out in anguish and I have felt their pain. Attacks have begun, and they must be stopped, by appeasement, or by force. A war between humans and Spirits would destroy the world, as it almost has before.

In all my journeys, one thing is common. No matter the nation, the common people tremble. From fear, from anger, from desperation, and from the real threat of danger that permeates their lives. This constant strife causes the people to distrust themselves and each other. They are pushed to a limit they didn't know existed. Their leaders use this to create a xenophobia against the other nations that has never been seen before. They use that fear to bend the people to their own wills and demands. If their leaders choose to start a war, it will be the peasants that will be the first casualties.

All of these things have taught me a great deal, none more important than this; In a world where no one is safe, we need more than an Avatar. We need group that has come together to help those who cannot help themselves. We need a team that is a strike force for peace. The world needs to see that people from different nations can work together towards a common goal of mutual benefit for all.

As such, I am calling you to help this cause. You, who have great skill. You, who know pain. You, who can restore balance.

Gather your weapons.

Perfect your bending.

Join the Order of the White Lotus.

Save the world.

 

Preserve Peace,

Avatar Dao Tsu

 


	2. Prologue: The World, United

Prologue - The World, United

 

"We are honored to have you in our presence." the Air Monk said as I entered the grandness of the Temple of the White Lotus. The building was like nothing from my hometown. It's plain outer walls opened into a gorgeous courtyard with gardens that had flowers I could not recognize. The building itself was bone white with various strangely shaped extensions whose purpose I could not glean.

Inside, I was lead past a series of rooms. I saw people from all nations sparing, eating, telling jokes and helping each other. For people so different to cooperate and work together was a fantasy that I thought only to be a legend.

The Monk lead me down one of the dormitories. No fancy embellishment dotted the walls. It was not nearly as grand as I would have expected. We came to a simple wooden door and after a small bow the Monk left me. There was a neatly written plaque hanging from a nail that read “Dao Tsu”

I was almost too afraid to go farther. Even with all I had seen and experienced, the thought of being in the presence of the Avatar sent a chill up my spine.

Yet, the Avatar had sent me the letter. Dao Tsu sought me out. I had made the journey this far, I would see this through to whatever end I would find. I knocked at the door and a kind voice beckoned me to enter.

The Avatar sat by an unlit brazier wearing sleeveless Fire Nation clothes of yellow and dark red. An old Eagle Fox sat on the ground, studying me as I entered. The room was overly plain, matching Dao Tsu's appearance. For a master of the elements, I expected more decor and ceremony.

A tattoo of a dagger was on one arm, an old burn on the other. I could see faded and new scars. All the signs of the danger written about in the letter I received.

Even with those markings, Dao Tsu radiated an aura of calm. I felt a peace that I can't remember experiencing before. A cup of tea and a seat were offered. I accepted both.

Dao Tsu stepped on the ground ever so slightly, Earthbending a perfectly formed chair out of the floor. Nodding towards the brazier, a low rolling fire filled it. With a gesture from one hand, two cups were lifted by a small tornado that disturbed nothing else. With a wave of the other hand, two perfectly measured balls of tea were pulled from the teapot. They met in the air, both cups falling gently into our hands, spilling not one drop. I was filled with awe with such deft control over the elements.

"Thank you for accepting the invitation.” The Avatar began. “I have heard a great many things of you and your abilities. We are honored that you have you at the Temple of the White Lotus.” The Avatar bowed with one hand pointing up and a fist underneath in traditional Fire Nation style.

“My letter was but a taste of the problems before us. Now that you are here, there is much to discuss. But first, I am sure you wish to know more of the world outside what you have experienced and how this place came to be. I shall start with my home. The land of fire and rage.”

 

 


	3. Book 1: Fire

Book 1 - Fire

 

I was born of the Fire Nation. My earliest memories from my childhood being raised in an orphanage. The Sages who were my caretakers told me I was simply left at the door step when I was a newborn. A note attached to my clothes gave my name. A common fate for unwanted children in the Fire Nation.

The demands of the royalty on the peasants make for hard times, and another mouth to feed is sometimes the difference between a survivable poverty and starvation. It is a difficult decision, one that is never made lightly, but people eek out what peace they can with the knowledge that the Fire Sages will take look after and raise their orphaned children.

What is unknown outside the orphanages is that the upbringing by the Sages doesn't hold a candle to the warmth of a true family.

We were taught from a young age that our lives are the property of the Fire Lord. We were instruments to be honed in the rigid and brutal curriculum. Violence was common, and not just between the children. The Sages that ran my home did not tolerate failure, or dissent. I still have the scars on my back from their canes, and I was lucky. Other children, less so.

I have heard rumors about the Sages from a previous time. Kinder people, who valued the ancient traditions and lore of my nation. Now, they only seek power. Their corruption extends beyond their temples -- they have the ear of many nobles and politicians, under the guise of wise and learned council.

The reality is that they only provide the advice that favors larger temples, larger tributes, gold, jewels, power. Any Sage who tries to work toward common good, kindness, or our once noble ways is punished, exiled, or worse.

One Sage I'd studied under had started to grow fond of me. I was a quick study, which he appreciated. I was eager to to learn about history, philosophy, civics. I was happy to learn about anything outside the walls of the orphanage. He was happy to find a child with such a thirst for knowledge and seemed to spend more time with me as a result.

For failing to clean the floors in a timely manner, I had been burned by a sage as a punishment. The kind Sage had the audacity to put a salve to the burn I'd received.

He was known for his kindness in such matters, much to the other sage's warnings. The next day, my burn was re-gifted to him by another Sage, and after, he was simply gone, never to be seen again. I can only imagine what became of him.

One day, while I was in class listening to a lecture on our Naval history, I set fire to my desk with a sneeze, my first Firebending. I was scared as to what punishment would I would be subject to for such an act. To my surprise, the Sages were happy with my power. I had no idea why until the next day, when I was taken by the military.

I was given to the Fire Army and my new life began. The other children in my class come from all walks of life. Some were from noble families. Others were from parents without two coins to strike together. I was always beneath them.

The Fire Nation's military education is brutal on Slugrats, a slang name for orphan conscripts. The title is to remind you that you are less than nothing. Not a man, a woman, or even a citizen, but a tool of the Fire Lord. A weapon, to be used as the nobles and generals see fit, nothing more.

From before dawn, we drilled in the basic forms of Firebending and taught in regimented classes. We stopped only for meals and to use the bathroom. Both were timed, and not finishing quickly enough was severely punished. I did not know it at the time, but my Avatar powers were serving me so that I could keep up with the training. I was able to learn quickly, and Firebending came to me naturally. Others did not. Those without the talent for large-scale bending were cast back out into the streets when they did not meet the standards of the Army.

As harsh as the military life is, there is still a comfort in the regimental control, and the knowledge that you will be fed, housed, and in the company of people you know. The shame that comes with being a military reject was often coupled with a homeless life of poverty.

So I trained.

I trained until my arms went numb, until the only heat I could feel was the blood pumping through my veins.

Due to my exhausting efforts, I had mastered their teachings they had given me by six months and went to another Academy. My new school taught more advanced Firebending techniques and military tactics. This process repeated for four more years -- I would master the bending they had to teach, they would transfer me to the next Academy, and onward.

Any time not spent drilling was spent in classes. Before, I thought that they were simply history and military tactic lessons as I had no formal schooling to speak of. The orphanages were more interested in getting us to work for them as quickly and efficiently as possible than worrying about historical accuracy. Now I see classes for what they truly were, an effective and thorough indoctrination.

They would talk of the greatness of the Fire Nation. We would be regaled with lessons and legends of how powerful we were, and how the other nations were weak. They taught us that the Water Tribes and Earth Kingdom were constantly trying to steal our lands, resources, and even people for their war machines. All other nations envied our progress and weak. “All Air Nomads are Cowards! All Water Tribe are Pirates! All Earth Citizens are Subjugators!' were common lessons.

The Air Nomads were treated differently. We were always told that they were weak, to the point that they could be disregarded, but there was more to it. I wouldn't say they were referred to as allies, more like servants. Air Nomads were the source of a great amount of food for the Fire Nation, and reasoning was that the Air Nomads feared us due to our fire.

“Fire is the strongest element!” was said so many times I still hear it in my dreams.

The last school I went to was supposed to train me in the most advanced Firebending. It was in the outskirts of the Fire Nation Capital in a poorer section of the city. Succeeding there meant graduating as an officer into the army, ready to serve our nation. At 11, I was in the same classes as 18 and 19 year old students.

The other students had a confused anger about my presence. They had not seen a child as young as I at the school in many years. There were rumors that the last person who wielded so much power at such a young age was the previous Fire Nation Avatar. With such a student in their midst, and a Slugrat no less, the students of more noble families were furious at my mere existence.

This school was the most strict and the most ruthless. Any failure was not tolerated. The teachers were more than happy to unleash harsh words and canes to deal with problem students. Most either fell, or fell into line.

The teachers would encourage the children to solve the slightest differences with an ancient and barbaric practice. It is called an Agni Kai. I witnessed several, and participated in one.

The teachers told us that it was an ancient honor to participate in an Agni Kai. The horror would start when one person felt that their honor was being questioned by another. They would then challenge the other to an Agni Kai. Refusing the challenge was a sign of weakness and cowardice. One child turned down a duel. He spent the next two weeks in the infirmary from the beating he received from the other students.

At sunset, the two would remove their shirts and face off against each other. They even had a special field where they would conduct this spectacle. All forms of bending were available to the opponents and the fight would go as long as it need to, only ending when one opponent burned the other.

The victor would gain honor and the loser would wear the burn the rest of their life. It was, and is, a disgusting practice, but not if you were one of the teachers. They only sought to watch and wager on the fights.

It was pathetic and horrible to watch them as they made bets. They did everything they could to ensure the duels would happen on a regular basis, goading on children to challenge each other over actions as slight as taking a seat the other was heading towards.

I was lucky for a while. I had done my best not to be the target of any perceived dishonor. I yielded when walking through the halls, I bowed to everyone that I could, I would eat standing in a corner, afraid to lock eyes with an older child with something to prove.

Luck, like all resources, is fleeting.

I had just finished lunch and was on my way to a class, sprinting as to not be late. An older boy was exiting a door just in front of me. Before I could stop, we collided. He was knocked to the floor, leading with his face. I heard a crunch as his nose broke. He grabbed his face, blood running through his fingers, and rose to his full height.

I recognized him as a common participant in the Agni Kais. He was quick to anger and quicker with his fire. Not so gifted with intelligence, but made up for it with ferocity in his bending. He had yet to loose a duel, and seemed to only get better with each passing encounter.

I can still see his eyes, full of fury.

“Nu stupid gid! Nu boke my gnoge!” The hall went silent. Slowly, laughter at the way he was talking seeped into the situation.

“Ig nog funny!” he yelled as he spun around, hoping that the laughter would stop, but it was only building. I certainly didn't laugh, as I knew what was going to happen next.

He locked eyes with me, knowing that I was the one that caused him this moment of weakness and yelled, “Ig Nallage nu do ad Agni Guy!” and took off down the hall before any more laughter could wound him. The laughter continued, I remained frozen, unable to move, unable to comprehend what I was about to be forced to do.

The rest of the day was spent in a haze. The teachers knew of my skill and were excited to see how I would fare in an Agni Kai. They had high hopes, as many teachers through the day talked about how much they would be betting on the fight, and that I better put on a good show.

Sunset came, and I did what little I could to prepare. We took the field, my opponent with fresh bandages over his face. I readied my form and prepared for the worst.

My only option was to replace the fear with anger. Fuel my bending the only way I knew how, the only way I was taught. Let the anger flow into rage, and let the rage flow to ignite my fire.

I heard the gong, and I charged.

He was surprised at first. I could see that he did not expect me to be so fierce. I jumped, kicking a series of Fireballs at him, which he dissipated with panicked arm movements, stumbling as he did so.

He countered with an off balance Firepunch that had no chance of hitting me. I crouched down and slashed a low fire blade towards his feet and he jumped away.

He again threw punches wildly, hoping something would strike at me. Only one Fireblast came close, and I dissipated it easily enough.

At first, the teachers were cheering for the mountain of a child before me, but as the fight went on they started chanting my name. It was like nothing I ever experienced, and I relished every second.

The fight was going my way. I wanted so badly to win. To show these people the power that I had inside me. I wanted to prove that no one could push me around. To make them fear me.

My opponent did his best to strike at me, but his fire was weak. I dodged a Fireblast at my head, I deflected a Firewhip strike at my feet. He back flipped and double kicked a huge ball of fire at me. I cartwheeled to my right, finally starting to feel the heat from his fire. He was starting to get his confidence back and it was showing in his technique, but I could hear his labored breathing. He was beginning to tire.

I started to fire back, making sure he could not gain an advantage on me. He would sway at each deflection. Slower to get up after each dodge. Eventually he was struggling to stand, and my victory was moments away.

I feigned a strike at his feet and kicked a Fire Wave at his chest. He blocked low and was knocked down. I pounced on him, Firedagger appearing in my hand. I grabbed the back of his neck and raised him to meet my blade. I held it to his face and was ready to strike. To burn him so he would never forget me.

He had pure fear in his blood drained face. I could see tears well up in his eyes. I had complete power over him. A boy eight years my senior, three times my size, powerless, and at my mercy. Everyone around me was chanting my name, joyously eager for me to end the fight.

I cannot recall a time in my entire life that I felt a deeper pit of despair.

I had become exactly what the Fire Army wanted me to be. A weapon. A tool for the Firelord. I felt tears welled up in my eyes and dropped him to the ground.

I would not be a weapon.

As I walked away, the cheers turned to slurs. They called me coward, pathetic, weak, many other things I do not wish to repeat.

The next thing I remember was a rush of fire on my shoulder. I turned, unable to yell due to the immense agony and saw the mountain of a child, fist extended after the strike. I dropped to my knees and passed out.

I awoke the next morning in severe pain. My shoulder was bandaged, but not much else was done to help sooth the wound. The next week was spent in alternating periods of agony and unconsciousness. I still wear the scar. A reminder that mercy has its own cost.

Even though I lost the fight, many were impressed by my skill. Anyone who saw the fight knew that I could have ended it if I had wanted, and while my kindness had been seen as a weakness by some, others saw the true power that I had wielded. They were more than willing to talk about the child that almost beat the giant.

It was at this time that the Fire Nation had started to look for the Avatar in earnest. Previous attempts had been too limited in scope, and no child had been found from civilized society. They knew that a select few children were the right age to be the Avatar, and I was their first suspect. Fear crept into my head for what would happen if I were the Avatar.

In the schools, we were always taught that the Avatar was supposed to bring balance to the world. Unfortunately, the Fire Nation's ideas of “balance” were fairly skewed towards their own goals.

The Fire Avatar was supposed to embody the glory of the Fire Nation. Ready to serve the Fire Lord. Ready to defend its borders. Ready to smite any enemy that dared to bring war against our glory.

The language was haunting when delivered by our teachers. It was as if the Avatar was supposed to be some ruthless machine that crushed anything in their way. The thought of becoming such a monster kept me up many a night.

The Sages came to my school and started conducting their tests with me. They would put hundreds of toys in front of me and ask me to choose four. I knew which to take. I could hear them screaming to be picked up. Knowing what would become me as the Avatar, I did the only sane thing. I grabbed the wrong toys. The Sages were not happy.

They then asked me a series of questions. About past lives, other forms of bending, anything that was not related to the Fire Nation. I knew the answers before they finished the questions.

The irony of all my Fire Nation education to that point was that all the discipline they had taught meant I could bluff my way through any situation with a straight face.

I waited, looked confused, and gave as wrong an answer as I could. Eventually they left, heading for the next child that they thought could be the Avatar.

I can't remember a day where I was more conflicted. I was overjoyed that they had gone, that I could stay in the regular military, rough though it was. And yet, what if I was the Avatar? Why did I know those toys and those answers? What if I had all that power, and was forced to use it towards nefarious ends? The next few days held much soul searching.

If I were the Avatar, my life, such that it was, would be over. I could expect more training of a more rigorous caliber. What little stability and control I had would be over, forever. I would be broken down and re-forged into the crown jewel of the Fire Army's arsenal. I would be the right hand of the Fire Lord, a warrior that had no equal, a weapon without peer. I would be an unstoppable force, usable by the whims of those I had never trusted.

Deep down, I knew what the Fire Army wanted was wrong. If it were true, and I was the Avatar, my life's purpose was something more than simple combat and conquest. I would see a life of danger and pain, much like the Avatar's lives before me, but there was more. I attempted to reveal its true meaning, but my inner turmoil was too great to understand more.

Fate has a funny way of tipping you into chaos just when you least expect it. I had heard of a prisoner that had been transferred to our school. It was said that she was a soldier that refused her orders. The result of such disobedience was always the same. A soldier would say they wanted to quit the Fire Nation Military, they would be “re-educated,” which mostly meant beatings and yelling until you complied. In the rare instance you didn't comply, you were made an example for the rest of the cadets.

The prisoner was named was Shozuma. They said she had an indomitable will and could not be broken. She showed incredible power and ferocity in her youth, but now, she would not Firebend. In fact, she did little of anything anymore. She refused to speak a word, and spent the majority of the day meditating.

She was being kept in our Academy as something of a spectacle. We were encouraged to gather around her cell and taunt her, swear at her. We could throw rotten food if we wished. Unleash the hate and frustration that the instructors instilled in us on this failure who would not fight.

Through it all, she would not make a noise. Earthbenders do not have her level of stubborn discipline. The back wall of her cell had a barred window that gave her a view of our training area and the Agni Kai field. Sometimes I would catch her watching the cadets. She had no emotions on her face when she did so and never spoke a word. She simply watched.

That was, until she spoke to me. The first person she spoke to in five years.

I was walking by her cell, much like any other day, and a single word came from her cell window. It was raspy, from a voice that had not been used in many years.

“Avatar.”

A panicked sweat appeared all over my body. My trained reaction came quickly and I filled with rage. If she told anyone, my life would get much worse and I would not allow that. Fire appeared in my hands. I crouched down to her window.

“If you speak that word again, you will die!” I yelled, ready to pour fire into her cell. I searched the dark interior for her form, and was stopped cold when I saw her.

She was bowed down, kneeling, with her forehead to the floor, much like we would salute royals when they came to the academies. I wanted to speak, but I was overcome with terror and I ran.

I did not go near her cell for another week, full of loathing for her actions, and fear at her knowledge. If she told anyone what she knew, it would most likely buy her freedom. 'Shozuma, the Woman Who Found the Avatar.' It would be a title that would follow her to her highly decorated grave. Yet not another word came from her. She continued to sit in her cell and meditate.

I knew I had to speak with her. What she wanted was irrelevant. I needed to know what gave me away, so I could hide my potential. Avoid tipping others off to my true identity.

I told the guards I wanted to teach the traitor Shozuma a lesson on loving our country and that I need some time alone with her. They laughed, thinking it would be a great way to further humiliate her, and allowed their prodigy some time alone.

I can still see myself approaching her, unsure of what the next few minutes of my life would hold. As always, she sat in the center of her cell, meditating. It was then that I saw her true form. Her head was shaved and she was gaunt from years in her cell, her only coverings were a burlap tunic and pants. She had scars on her face and her shoulders from the abuse and attempts to force her to comply with the Fire Army.

Yet with all this, she held herself with a inner strength that betrayed her unbreakable will. She was confident in her posture. Were it not for the cell, I would have never thought her a prisoner. Her back was straight as a tree, holding her head high and firm as if her bones were made of iron.

Confronted with such a person, I had no idea what to do. I only sat outside her cell, waiting for her to do something, anything. I was too afraid to move.

Her eyes eventually opened, and seeing me said “Avatar,” and bowed like she had done before. I begged her to stop. If anyone heard or saw, I would be exposed. She complied and returned to her original position.

“How did you know what I am?” I nervously asked.

“Watching,” she replied in her raspy voice.

“You watched me train?”

She shook her head, smiling, “Not train, you make art with flame.”

I was stunned. No one had ever talked to me like this. No one ever talked to me with anything other than contempt. This person revered me and my skill. It was difficult to comprehend. “Are you going to tell anyone about me?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“You would be in danger.”

Flustered, I asked, “Why do you care?” In the Fire Army you are taught you fight alone, and you die alone. For Shozuma to put herself in such a dangerous position was counter to everything we are taught.

It took her a long time to muster the strength to speak, and she stopped every few words to clear her throat, but this is what she said.

“The Avatar exists to maintain balance. The Fire Nation, as it is, would see you only help their goals, and train you for needless war. But you are of all nations, a gift of the spirits. The four nations are in need of the Avatar, now more than ever. You are part of something greater, broader, than you can imagine. To embrace it is a blessing to the world. The world does not deserve more hate, pain, or war. Neither, I believe, do you.”

I paused for what seemed like a year to comprehend her words. No one had ever spoken to me like this. Being a Slugrat, you are told on a daily basis that you are the lowest of life. Even when you excel, they raise the bar to make you feel worthless, powerless. It helps them make you into a soldier, a weapon, a tool with no will of its own. Shozuma spoke to me like I was the most important being in the world.

For many years, I was taught only that war was imminent. That I needed to be ready to taken as many lives as needed, and lay my life down for my country.

This woman, an acclaimed Firebending prodigy, was telling me not only that they were wrong, but that it was acceptable to disagree. To her, I deserved peace.

The training in the Firebending academies caused one to form certain instincts. One of them was to turn any negative emotional feeling a bender had into pure anger. Whether afraid in training, sad at a loved one's death, or anxious when a solution is not apparent, you are trained to morph that into rage.

The instinct became so strong that any powerful emotion could result in spontaneous bending, and rather than quench this instinct, we were taught to harness it. Daggers appeared in my hands, full of power, and ready to find a mark, any mark.

The next thing I remember was Shozuma holding my hands, quenching the fire as if it was nothing. My eyes met hers and she began to speak again.

“Peace. Calm yourself. Your skills are well honed. Rage has made you powerful, and can fuel your abilities to terrible ends, but there is another path.”

“What other path?” I replied, hoping her words were true.

“The Way of Breath. It is a level of control for your Bending that few can master. You use breathing to fuel your fire, not rage. An even temper that can make a hot flame burn brighter, or quench it entirely. I have dedicated my life to its practice. If you wish, I can teach you.”

I had never heard of this method, but I had heard of Shozuma's power. She had no equals, and no one knew what method she employed to empower her Firebending. She refused to reveal her secrets to anyone, even her teachers.

That is, not until she met me.

The concept of bending without anger was foreign to me. We were always taught that rage is the single greatest source of Firebending. I despised it from the start and yearned for another path since my schooling began. The knowledge was irresistible.

I asked, “When do we begin?”

She replied, “Now.”

For the next few months, any free time I had was spent with her, either in front of her cell, or by her window, listening to her lessons. I memorized the movements of the guards, spirited myself out at night to listen to her talk. She taught me to control my breathing to empower my Firebending. Using meditation to calm my mind, I was able to unlock a level of Firebending I thought impossible.

My flames burned more brilliantly than ever. My Fire Daggers and Fire Whips were as firm as rock, letting me slash cleanly through wood. I could shoot Fire Blasts twice as far as previous. I could kick Fire Balls with such force that I could knock over three people at a time. I never felt such power.

The trade is that when I became too angry, my bending would revert to its original weakened state. I learned quickly that the true power of my fire resided in my ability to maintain balance.

Shozuma spoke of her schooling, where she was taught that the other nations were warmongering monsters that only sought to take our lands. The lessons had not changed from her time to mine.

She spoke of learning the Breath, which she used to best all her rivals, and eventually graduating at the top of her class. She had originally planned to create a school for teaching the Breath in the academies, but that soon changed after her first assignment.

She was commissioned as a port guard in Factotum City, the busiest port city in Fire Nation. On her first day she saw a huge Galleon class ship with Water Tribe marking covering it. She thought they were invaders, and nearly killed one the crewman using waterbending to guide the ship into port. As it turned out, they were simply bringing in cloth for a normal trading delivery.

Earth Kingdom envoys would come and go. Air Nomads traded normally with the Fire Nation. The Bear Whale Trading Company ships, far more advanced and powerful than anything the Fire nation could build went in and out of the port.

The Fire Nation military was not a weak Kittenhawk, but it was not the invincible Tigerdillo that we had been told of. All of the Fire Nation history could be summed up in a sense of entitlement that the ruling class had propagated.

In an attempt to gain military superiority, the Fire Nation had started their build up of weapons and soldiers, ready for a conflict of their own creation. It would serve them to advance the personal glory of the Fire Lord and all the generals, more metals on their chests and longer titles for tombs.

It would only cost countless lives in the process. The realization hit Shozuma like an avalanche and she was crestfallen. Her years of training were for one, horrible reason. To make unnecessary war.

After two weeks, she left her uniform on her commander's desk, refusing all orders. She was imprisoned immediately.

She had her head burned, labeling her Dishonored. Once you are labeled Dishonored, your life, as you know it, is over. They burn your hair down to the root with an intense flame so that your hair never grows back.

Each officer who knew her tried to dissuade her from telling the truth to the children. Every time she spoke of peace, the beatings worsened. She soon stopped talking altogether. It wasn't until she found me that she had been compelled to speak again.

Shozuma told me of the previous Fire Nation Avatar, Toza. In my schooling I was always taught she died when she was attacked by the Earth Kingdom Army. They were invading an island to the south and Toza stayed behind to help the Fire Nation citizens escape their bloody rampage. She unleashed her Avatar powers and destroyed the island, taking out the entire invading force, but died in the process.

What actually happened is much more terrible.

Before her imprisonment, Shozuma was able to read the true history of what happened. Toza was the daughter of a Fire Nation General and much was expected of her due to her breading. Her father agreed to turn her over to the the military for a regimented and extreme idea.

They wanted to train her so ferociously that she would be not only the most powerful Avatar in history, but to make her completely compliant. She would be the personal sword of the Fire Lord, ready to do their bidding no matter the order.

She was moved to an island off the southern coast that was specifically built for just this purpose. Her training was brutal, more brutal than it is on the Slugrats.

There was not much information of what kind of person Toza was before the training. The Fire Nation's records do not cover such things. I can't imagine that she knew what was going to happen on that island, but I would like to think that she was brave to agree to such tests.

They continued her training from the time she was 7 to 18. I cannot fathom what what this level of brutality would do to a person for that many years.

Through all the years, she refused to completely break. She would not completely submit herself to the Fire Lord no matter the abuse. Deep down, I'd like to think that near the end of the training, she saw that what was happening was wrong. If only she lived long enough, she may have been able to stop it or change the mindset of the Fire Nation.

They tried one last attempt to take what little strength she had left and break her. The Army attacked her with 40 of the best Firebenders they had to offer. They attacked her for hours, sapping all of her strength.

Just as the final blow was about to be struck her eyes went white and she rose from the ground. She started tearing apart the island with every type of bending, many people died in the process. A few people were able to escape the island before it was completely destroyed and record what had happened.

Not much was left after the chaos subsided. Toza's body was never found.

This is one of the reasons Shozuma took such an interest in me. She knew that the Fire Army would do the exact same thing to me. The Fire Nation has difficulty learning from their mistakes.

There is another facility in the Fire Nation, now dormant, that was constructed for just such a purpose. If I was found, that facility would be my home until I was the weapon they wanted. Shozuma would not allow that.

With Shozuma's teachings of the Breath, my fire continued to become more powerful. After three months, even the teachers were unable to match my power.

With everyone noticing my improvements, the headmaster called the Sages to test me again, thinking they must have missed something. Their search for the Avatar had come up empty, and the Fire Lord herself was putting immense pressure on them to find the Avatar by any means necessary. Just after I turned Twelve, they returned.

They had one surefire way to tell if someone was the Avatar. Just as Toza was tested, so would I. Two dozen sages would surround me and attack all at the same time with all the fire they could create, trying to trigger my Avatar powers. It was the only way to be sure.

I assume that they would think that since I had not had the same instruction as Toza, they would be able to control me before I destroyed the area. That, or the Fire Lord's orders were terrifying enough that they did not care about the collateral damage.

I would not be the Firelord's personal killer. I was able to get one last audience in Shozuma's cell, face to face. I had made a plan -- wildly unfeasible, I now know -- to use our combined power to blast out of the prison right then and there and start running. I tried to persuade her to leave. Shozuma turned my offer down, with several well-reasoned points.

Other than the fact that we would be caught immediately, she was too obvious a target and too well known. Besides, if I was a deserter from the Army, I would be hunted the rest of my life, Avatar or not. Being branded Dishonored and imprisonment awaited me if I was ever caught.

They say that no one has ever escaped the Fire Army and lived. I would need another way to leave without them knowing what happened, and Shozuma had just such a plan in mind. She had spent time here while in school and knew its inner workings well. She explained what needed to be done, the only way that I could be free. I was filled with fear when she finished.

The fear was for Shozuma, and for what I would do without her as a guide. She was more than a teacher. She was my first, and at that time, my only friend. It tore me in two to leave, but it was the only way.

I hugged her through the bars of her cell. With tears in my eyes, we parted. She smiled back, possibly thinking we would never meet again. Knowing that she helped train the Avatar, she was at peace. I was not.

The next day the Sages arrived. They began the test at once, pulling me out of a class before I knew what was happening. They brought me to the center court while the Sages surrounded me.

As Shozuma instructed, I stood above a drainage grate that lead out of the camp. I had little more than a second before it began. They bent more fire than I had ever seen, coming from every direction, trying to trigger my Avatar powers.

With my new training techniques, I was able to shield myself or deflect most of the fire coming my way. I took off my uniform and armor and threw it on the ground, hoping the ensuing fire would let them think I was burned to ashes. The heat was beginning to intensify as my shield was collapsing. I pulled up the grate and started to crawl as fast as I could. My defenses collapsed and fire filled the tunnel. It rushed behind me and I was propelled through to the end.

The pipe led to an underground river, carefully channeled from its original course through the stone foundations of the Academy and out into the city below. I flew out and struck the water hard. The shock from the impact on the water caused me to flounder. I had no idea how badly I was burned, but I knew it was a severe wound. The last thing I remember is trying to swim to the shore and then blackness.

I awoke later in a small hut. My injuries were bandaged, and there water next to me, which I gulped down. I wanted to escape, thinking I had been captured again, but my wounds prevented much more than lying in place. My body felt as if it was on fire and freezing at the same time. My Agni Kai burn was a needle's stab compared to what I was feeling at that time.

A sturdy, stocky, middle-aged woman came through the door later that day, "Oh thank goodness! I didn't know if you were going to make it. I'm so glad you woke up."

With all the strength I had, I weakly asked, "Who? Where?"

She wore a kind and wide smile on her face, "Well, my name is Mah-Zho and this in my butcher shop and home. I'd love to answer more questions, but you really should try to rest." She put her had to my forehead, "I need to get more medicine so we can get that fever down and some salve to heal those burns before they scar like your shoulder." She placed a bowl of thin soup next to me. "Here, drink this up and get some rest. I'll be back in a while with that medicine."

I was impossible to turn down the meaty smelling soup and I gulped it down with little reservation. It was the single most delicious thing I ever tasted.

As she was leaving I was able to feebly ask one last question. "Why?"

She smiled and said, "Because you needed help, sweetie. Now get some rest and I'll be back soon."

I attempted to remain awake, unsure of what to make of this kind woman who had just saved me life. She was helping me for no reason that I could think of. She was spending a tremendous amount of money on medicine for a person that she did not know. None of it made any sense. At least, not at first.

For three weeks I didn't leave that bed. Mah-Zho took care of me while I healed. It took some expensive herbs before I could get around on my own. The medicine that Mah-Zho purchased was able to mitigate much of the scarring from the fire.

All this time I tried to figure out why Mah-Zho had done such things for me. I was nothing but a burden to her, yet she cared for me. Caring for me took a considerable amount of time away from her ability to run her shop. The medicine she purchased was expensive and the food I was eating was literally taking money out of her hands.

No matter the burden, she would just smile and keep taking care of me. This was as foreign a world as I ever experienced.

"Because you needed help"? That was not enough to understand why someone would be so selfless towards a total stranger. What was her reason for her actions? I rolled around this in my head for days before it struck me.

Kindness itself was the reason. Mah-Zho did this because kindness for kindness sake is enough of a justification. Reason enough to uproot your entire life to care of a complete stranger. It is a lesson that I have held on to since that day.

Once I was well enough, I started helping around Mah-Zho's shop. Cleaning, cooking, taking out garbage. She had saved my life. Anything I could do, it was as good as done.

Mah-Zho only asked about my parents once. I was honest with her, telling her that I was an orphan. She looked guilty after my answer and hugged me close. That was the only time she ever asked about my past. I could tell that it wasn't important to her.

I made sure to burn my hair close to my scalp to disguise myself as best I could. After all, I wasn't that far from the academy and needed to lay as low as I could. A simple Hand of Flame over rubbed over my head every morning did the trick.

The bald head would make people think I was Dishonored. It would keep people from asking too many questions about why I was alone in the capitol. If any Fire Military Officer saw me, they would quickly ignore my presence, as was the custom in dealing with Dishonored individuals. I also hid my advanced Firebending, as it would draw unnecessary questions.

With my identity a secret, my job had extremely enjoyable benefits. For the first time in years I was able to speak with those who were not in the Army. Even though people thought I was Dishonored, common folks treated me like another person, nothing more.

We talked about the harsh taxes that the Fire Nation levied. About if the clouds meant rain they needed for their crops. About the new print of fabric in a store window. How some dragons were able to fly without wings. We talked about their parents, long gone, and their children, about my age or younger.

They were not the hate-filled warmongers that I saw in the Army. They were good, plain people.

The only exception were the Triad gangs that terrorized the town while the Army refused to help. A group of them came to the shop, asking for protection money. Mah-Zho paid it without a second thought. To my shame, I did nothing, as Mah-Zho insisted. Any display of my power would have given me away. It took everything I had in me not to strike them through the ground.

The biggest problem that I had to deal with was the Eagle Fox. It began a few weeks after I started working with Mah-Zho. I was taking out the garbage and there was a female Eagle Fox rooting through the cans. It had red feathers and a dark brown fur. It had big blue eyes that felt like they pierced through my head.

It squawked at me and took flight. It had scattered animal parts on the ground, which I cleaned up and didn't think too much about it at the time. Scavengers exist everywhere, and a butcher shop should have it's share.

The next day, the Eagle Fox returned, this time scattering even more garbage to get to the meat. I began to get angry, but reminded myself I needed to remain calm. If an animal could fluster me this much, how would I do in my duties of the Avatar?

I did my best to stack the garbage so that the meat was on the bottom and the inedible garbage was on the top. I felt that it would dissuade the creature enough to force it to move on to more fruitful scavenging areas.

Again, I was wrong. This time the Eagle Fox pulled everything that was not meat from the cans, leaving a monstrous mess that I needed to clean up. I spent the rest of the day trying to think of a new way to keep her away.

I came up with the idea to put heavy stones on the lids so that it would not be able to access it's innards. This time it knocked over the cans and made the biggest mess yet.

At this point I named the creature Shumoto. Shumoto was a Spirit of Mischief in a story I read as a child. It seemed to be fitting since this animal seemed to relish in my anger.

I did my best to remain calm, but this beast was trying my patience in a way that the Fire Army could only have dreamed. This animal had tested every nerve that I had, beating me at every thought of ingenuity, and giving me more trouble than I thought possible.

The next day I took out the garbage the cans were undisturbed. I found it odd that Shumoto would suddenly leave such a clearly rich source of food. I looked for it, thinking that maybe that it was waiting until I would leave the new days scraps and then strike, but nothing came.

I saw some other children gathered in a semi-circle around a wall. They were laughing and had sticks in their hands. I became curious and wandered over to see what they were doing. As I got closer I heard screeches that I had come to associate with Shumoto, only these sounded terrified and wounded.

I muscled my way through the wall of bodies to see what the commotion was about. When I broke through, my anger erupted. They had cornered Shumoto and were slashing at her with sticks. The Eagle Fox was clearly hurt, with numerous wounds on her body. When Shumoto tried to take flight, a large child hit her wing and she fell to the ground in an exhausted heap. I could see the fear in it's eyes, but only heard the laughing of the children. My rage boiled over.

“Why are you doing this!?” I yelled.

I heard a few answers, but the one that got the most applause is the one that sticks in my mind to this day. “Because it's funny!”

It was too much for me to tolerate. I entered circle and put my back to Shumoto. Fire erupted from my hands and I sought only to protect Shumoto. At first the children jumped back, fear now crept into their eyes. Clearly they had not seen Firebending as fierce as mine from one so young. It wasn't until the larger of the children yelled, “Get him!” that their eyes changed from fear to anger.

The sticks slashed at my arms and legs. Larger branches went for my head. With my Fire Army training, they did not pose much of a threat to me. They had no style other than "swing hard".

I did not want to permanently hurt them, so my Firebending was focused on burning their wood instead of their skin.

As each weapon swung at me, I grabbed it and burned it to ash. As each child lost their weapon, they ran.

Eventually it was just myself, the larger boy, and Shumoto at my back. He threw a punch that was easy enough to block. I struck back at his knees, chopping him down to my level. He collapsed to his hands and knees, looking up at me. I put a Firedagger to his face and said, “Do this again, and know my fire!”

Tears welled in his eyes and he fled. I turned to Shumoto, seeing her injuries. She whimpered and whined, looking at me with piercing blue eyes. I saw her fear and her pain. The same fear that I had seen it in myself. It was then that I saw her true form.

She was skin and bones, thin and frail from a hard life. Her garbage raids were because it was the only source of meat. It was the only way to get what she needed to live. She never went into the shop or attacked Mah-Zho She only took the few scraps we discarded. She was a good being, doing her best to live.

I gathered her in my arms and brought her into the shop. The next few weeks I nursed her back to health. Mah-Zho did not mind the extra company. She even joked about opening a small hospital in the back room.

She was well enough to walk after a few weeks, though her wing that was broken by that foolish child would be bandaged for a while longer. It would be months before she was able to take flight again.

During this time, Shumoto barely left my side. She followed me while I did my chores, took out the garbage, cleaned around the shop. She was excellent at catching Roachbats that would come through the floors, but there was more.

Shumoto and I were kindred spirits. Considering how gaunt she was when I found her, she did not have an easy life, as did I. She had a few scars, as did I. We both clearly had sadness in us, but together, there was less sadness.

I had heard that past Avatars have animal companions. Most of the time they are some ferocious beasts like Sky Bison or Armadillo Bears. Some can even befriend Unagi or Dragons if they are so bold. They were kindred spirits, and it seems that I had found mine.

Six months passed in a flash. I watched and learned over its course and I began to think differently about my fate.

The more I spoke to common people, the more I realized that they needed a true Avatar. Each story they brought to me about their worry about the future of the Fire Nation made my heart sink. They spoke of the various lords and military officials that would tell them about the real possibility of war breaking out at any second. That their children were needed to spread the “Glory of the Fire Nation”.

It made me sick to hear these things and have no power to do anything about it. I was the Avatar, the one person who was supposed to bring balance to the world.

They needed to have the yolk of the Fire Lord lifted off their shoulders. The only way was to remove the war like nature of the Fire Lord. The only person that I heard of that could bring that kind of balance was the Avatar.

I needed to reach my full potential, and I could not do that by selling hippocow meat, however a promising life that seemed. I knew that I needed to travel, and that Airbending was my next goal.

I gathered what I could. Mah-Zho gave me a small purse of money. She said it was a small bit of coin, but I knew it was all she had. The Triad gangs would not be happy, but she would not let me leave without it. Shumoto nuzzled up to Mah-Zho as we hugged her one last time and began walking.

I traveled to the coast in the hopes of getting a ride on a ship or Sky Bison and make my way to the Western Air Temple. Only a few people questioned why such a young boy was traveling alone. Apparently, this was not an uncommon event in the Fire Nation.

When it would get dark, we would set up camp off the road to avoid being spotted by bandits. Shumoto was adept at catching small rodents and birds for food. I would stare at the stars until I would fall asleep every night.

I never felt so free. No walls. No locked doors. No one telling us what to do. It was bliss.

In a few weeks I had reached the coast, but getting on a ship was more trouble than I thought. Most ships wouldn't take a child as a worker. They said that they needed people who could fight in Pirates attacked and I was too young to be of help.

I could have proved them wrong with some Firebending, but that would raise questions that I did not want to answer, so we kept looking.

There was one ship that would let me on, but the crew looked more dangerous than any Pirate that I could imagine, so I decided to look elsewhere.

I could have caught a ride on a transport ship, but it would have taken more than all the money I had to afford the ticket.

I saw three large ships that bore the same symbol, the Bear Whale. Shozuma was right, the ships were massive creations, much larger than the Fire Navy ships we saw in the books. They were 40 feet tall and at least 250 feet long. There were port holes along the length of the ship, probably to launch Ice Spikes. It looked impenetrable, like a floating fortress. The Fire Navy wouldn't stand a chance against something like this. Unfortunately, they told me they only employ Southern Water Tribe members.

I had to get creative. I set up a small camp on the beach, meditating on the problem. My training with Shozuma was time well spent and soon I was in a deep level of concentration. I had no boat, no bison, no way to cross this vast ocean. The Western Air Temple was a few days by a fast ship, so swimming was out. If I had skilled Waterbenders the trip could be cut to as short as a day, but all I had was my fire.

Fire that I could shoot with an intense force. Fire that propelled me out of that drainage grate in my escape from the Fire Army. I wondered if it would work to propel a boat in water? I was able to purchase a small boat for a few silver pieces and start my new training, to use Firebending to move boats. I nearly set the boat aflame the first day, but after a week, I was able to create the right amount of thrust to get the boat moving.

I used most of the rest of the coin to buy a few provisions, a fishing rod, some more clothes as mine had been burned during my experiments. Firebending could move the dinghy fast, but my main concern was keeping on course. I could easily get lost if I didn't read the sun right and there were always the Pirates to think about. I packed my gear, along with two sticks for roasting the fish I would catch and set to sea.

The journey across the sound took three days. We encountered a storm halfway through that we had to wait out, but by the mid day sun on the third day, we hit the shore. I was weak and exhausted from the constant bending. Shumoto only caught only three fish on the trip and the provisions were not as filling as I anticipated. Hunger had deprived Shumoto and myself of what little strength we had.

I pulled the boat past the tide and trekked up a small ridge. I felt that it had the best view of the land, which I thought would protect us. I built a small fire and we fell into a deep sleep.

It was well into the next day when the bandits, having easily seen the fire on the ridge, woke me by encasing me in stone to the neck while I was still asleep Shumoto squawked after they had thrown a net over her and tied it up like a bag. I tried to Firebend the rock away, like I had been trained to do, but I simply had no strength left after my journey. They were a hideous bunch that and smelled of sweat, rotten fish, and rotten teeth. If there was anything in my stomach, I would have thrown up.

They taunted me, told me that they appreciated the my possessions I had and the gift of the boat, and for that they would make sure my death was as swift as possible. I was more angry than scared at the time. Maybe if I had remained calm, I might have been able to use my bending to escape, but my anger was too great to concentrate.

One of the bandits made a Spike out of sand an held it to my face. I didn't know that type of bending was possible. We were only taught about deflecting and destroying rocks. Sandbending was completely foreign to me.

The rest of my memory is filled with rage, the same rage that filled me during my years in the Army's training classes. I was helpless again, and they took advantage of that. I saw them picking through my few possessions, fighting over my fishing rod. I wondered when they would fight over who got to kill me.

It suddenly became windy in the cliff. The wind picked up so much that gravel started to lift from the ground and sting at my eyes. I closed my eyes to the increasing debris in the air. I heard powerful gusts of wind buffet around, and the Bandits first became confused, then angry, then scared. Their yells faded, as if they were running away.

The wind eventually subsided and I was opened my eyes again. A man with a glider stood over me. He was fairly tall, wearing a simple, faded, robe of yellow and red. He had a head of close cropped hair, with a blue arrow on his forehead. He looked more calm and relaxed than I expected from someone who had just fought off three bandits.

He was an Airbender, and he saved me, but I did not know to what end.

I was nervous. I had just entered the lands of the Air Temples. A land of vast skies and dangerous winds.

 


	4. Book 2: Air

Book 2 - Air

 

In my academies, I was told me of the ways of the Air Nomads was one of weakness. They were placid and cowards, having no army nor navy. They were almost subjects of the Fire Nation already, as they made a great deal of food for our people. Sometimes they were thieves, but never anything you couldn't deal with through a show of force. This Airbender had just defeated three bandits using the element I was always taught to be the weakest. I had no idea what he was capable of.

He knelt down near my head and started to examine me. Before he could talk I asked, “Are you going rob me, too?”

He smiled a little, “I wasn't planning on it.”

“Then can you get me out of this?” I snapped.

He snorted a laugh, “Kid, I like you already.”

With several blasts of air, he carefully broke apart the rock until I could squeeze myself out. I then set to untangling Shumoto from her bag. I was making sure she wasn't harmed when I could hear words from Shozuma in my head telling me to be gracious. I had been rude to a person who saved me. She would not have been happy with my actions.

I looked at the Airbender, who still had the same aloof look on his face and bowed. “Thank you. You saved my life and I am indebted to you.”

Flippantly, he replied, “No problem. I go by Wu Lai.” and did a slight bow. “What's your name?”

“Dao Tsu. We should get going, those bandits might come back.”

Without changing his face, he replied, “You don't have to worry about those three. They aren't a threat to anyone.”

“Where did they run off to?”

“They didn't run, but they're at the bottom of the bluff.”

I was confused at first. I took his meaning that he some how trapped them and left them there for some guards to pick them up. I peered over the cliff.

The three bandits bodies laying motionless at the bottom of the cliff was the last thing I thought I would find. This rang counter to everything I was ever taught about the Air Nomads.

The teachings said Airbenders were supposed to be peaceful people. By their own rules, even beating the bandits badly would be condoned. Killing was an unforgivable crime.

I turned to meet Wu Lai, “Y-you killed them?”

“Yeah. I told them to change their ways. They didn't listen, and I don't do seventh chances.”

His calm over the bandit's deaths shocked me. He appeared completely unshaken by the experience. Moreover, he was a Monk, and I had heard they are forbidden to kill even their food. Such indifference I expected from any other stranger on earth, but never from an Airbender.

“This bunch was particularly brutal.” Wu Lai began. “They would trap travelers in stone, steal whatever belongings they had, then kill them by whatever means they thought appropriate. I had followed a chain of five murders, all in the same fashion. The sixth I interrupted, gave them a reasonable beating, and warned the bandits against further misdoings. Your ambush was the seventh, and was their last.”

He said, suddenly serious, “They were without mercy, and those who show no mercy deserve none.”

That line stuck in my head. It was similar to what the Fire Army had taught me, but sounded oddly noble coming from an Air Nomad. How different are the Air Benders from how I was taught in the Fire Nation, I wondered.

I gathered my thoughts, brushing off the last of the dust, and asked, “I need to get to the Western Air Temple. Do you know the way?”

He pointed East, “Sure. It's over those mountains. If you keep on that road you'll see it in a few days.” He then looked puzzled, “Why would a Fire Nation kid want to go to an Air Temple?”

Without thinking I said, “I need to train in Airbending.” I then cupped my hands over my mouth. I looked at him with eyes full of fear.

Unfazed, he replied, “Why would you need Airbending training? Unless...” he looked thoughtful for a moment the snapped his fingers and pointed at me. "Oh. You're the Avatar."

I filled with terror. The next Avatar in the cycle would be an Airbender. If this man killed so easily, would he kill me so that the next Avatar would be born to his people? Firedaggers appeared in my hands, ready to fight my way out of the situation.

Fearfully I said, “Look, just let me go and I won't hurt you.”

He laughed, amused at my defenses. “Hold on there, kid. You've got me mistaken. I only hurt people who hurt others. If you're the Avatar, that's fine. No skin off my arrow.” He turned, walked to a tree and lazily sat down with his back to it. “One piece of advice.” He said, rummaging through his pack, taking out two bowls and a jar. “I'd skip the Western Air Temple if I were you.”

The fire died from my hands. His nonchalance had me off balance. From all the stories that I had heard, the Avatar was either a a powerful and much revered entity, or an dangerous enemy to be feared. Wu Lai was sitting in the shade, pouring some rice porridge from the jar into the bowls. The immensity of the Avatar's presence washed off him like water off a Turtleduck.

I sat down in front of him, taking the bowl of cold gruel, and asked, “Why not?”

“Well for starters, there's no meat. None at all, so the food stinks worse than my sandals. That's enough to make you want to leave. Second, they wouldn't let your Eagle Fox inside since it's a carnivore. You seem close so I didn't think that would be something you would tolerate. Third, they are way too rigid with their laws. Just a little out of line and you get kicked out. I should know, I was raised there, then kicked out after I broke just one rule.”

“What did you do?” I asked.

“I killed a guy.” He said it with the same flippant attitude that I had started to expect. My shock was obvious, and he continued.

“He was a bandit. He was attacking the villages around our temple, so I stopped him.”

I tilted my head, expecting more out of him, but nothing came. “Do you regret killing him?”

“No.” He said it without a moment of pause while two pulling spoons out of his bag. “His bandit posse, the Polar Boars, had come to our temple many times. We told them to stay away, but they didn't listen. The Monks and Nuns wouldn't do anything, so I did what I had to do.”

He looked to the ocean and wore a ponderous face. I examined him for a moment or two. It felt like he wanted to say more, but he gave no specifics. His gaze fell, as did his shoulders in an almost sad motion.

“The Monks only care about protecting their temples and the treasures that they have accumulated. Every bandit attack, they'd retreat under the cliff to their temples, making sure the bandits couldn't follow. The villagers are allowed in, but only if they have a bender help them. It's hard to get to a temple hanging under a cliff unless you can fly.”

His voice wavered when he spoke of the common folk, but only just. He gathered himself and continued, “The Polar Boars never came back. From what I heard in my travels, they disbanded, too fearful of the new, more dangerous Airbenders that were not afraid to kill. Saving my people was worth becoming an Outcast.”

“An Outcast?” I asked. He said the word in a way that I knew carried more weight than a simple name.

“Yeah, an Outcast.” he paused wait for a response. My face remained confused. “Wait, you've never heard of us? Have you been living under a volcano?”

“I've been in the Fire Army for the past six years.”

“So, that's a yes on the volcano. I hear their schools are terrible. In short, you get branded an Outcast for breaking one rule or another. Most of the time it's for eating meat, or hurting people. Once you are banished, they brand your hand.”

He showed me his right hand, revealing a brand that looked like a pitchfork on top of another pitchfork that was over his arrow tattoo.

出

“They put it on your hands so that you can't hide it from other Monks. It's supposed to demonize us to the rest of the Air Temples. It hurts for a few days, but I see it as a mark of freedom. Without the burn, I'd be forced to live in a temple and negotiate the price of melons with some Fire Nation Noble. I'd take ten burns a day to avoid that life.

“I've only met a few other Outcasts who've killed. We sometimes take mercenary work, or other odd jobs for the money. I've teamed up with a few Outcasts when there was a big problem to fix, but most of the time we're on our own. We never say goodbye, it feels like bad luck, like were are never going to see that person again. Its the only real tradition we have. We have no leaders and no one to tell us what to do. It's pretty great.”

I had just finished my bowl as he finished his speech. From what I had been experiencing, the life of an Outcast sounded like paradise. The freedom, the travel, it was everything I wanted.

I bowed down, much like Shozuma had done to me, “Master, please teach me the ways of Air.”

He reached out with his glider and pushed me to sit up. “Whoa, slow down there, kid. Stop with all the 'master' talk. Sure, I'll can teach you a thing or two about Airbending, but you're in poor shape. How did you ditch the army and make it over here in the first place?”

I gave him the short version, through which he was as stoic as ever. After a full belly and feeling safe for the first time in weeks, I fell into a deep sleep.

The next day I awoke to Wu Lai making porridge, cutting up a small animal and adding it to the pot. He was petting Shumoto, who looked content with her work.

“Your friend here is an excellent hunter.” He said, petting Shumoto on her neck. “We'll do well with her around.” He handed me a bowl of food. “Have some breakfast and check out your new clothes.”

He threw a bundle of cloth to me. I opened it up, finding robes of yellow and red, Airbender clothing.  I started crying. It was the first present I ever received.

"If you're gonna learn Airbending, you better look the part." He said with a smirk.  "Get changed and we'll see what you got.

I never expected Airbending to be so hard.

Fortunately, my Firebending training with Shozuma was extremely useful. Learning to control my breath was nearly identical to Airbending meditation techniques. Within a week I had an understanding of the breathing techniques for the basic moves, in a month I was making Air Blasts. Even so, the techniques were difficult and it took weeks before I could start doing anything the resembled real attacks.

Wu Lai taught me that most Monks and Nuns were gifted their glider from older Airbenders. There was a whole ceremony filled with a lot of music and pomp and circumstance. A glider was said to house a bit of the soul of every Airbender who used it. Wu Lai's was old, passing from many before it got to him. He said they tried to take is from him when he was branded an Outcast. It did not end well for the Monks.

I, on the other hand, had to make mine from scratch. It took about a week, and it was not as nearly as stable as Wu Lai's, but it would fly. Once I got in the air, I never wanted to set foot on the ground. I had never felt so free. I would spend whole days flying with Shumoto, only setting foot on the ground when I was too exhausted to keep Airbending.

Those were some of the happiest days of my life. We traveled, making camp and cooking out every night. We did a great amount of training, much more than I would have expected from from my teachings about the Air Temples. I never expected the “weak” Airbenders that I learned about in school to train so rigorously, or be able to create such powerful blasts. We went over all 34 forms of Airbending, but Wu Lai put more emphasis on Airblasts, Air Blades and Air Cushions for breaking falls from great distances.

His most useful attack was one he had invented himself. He called it the Air Stone and said it was the unofficial 35th form of Airbending. It was extremely powerful if used correctly. Wu Lai would compress air into a small ball about the size of a melon and throw it like an Air Blast. The additional density would give the blast extra power and could be used to blast holes in trees. I have had trouble making Fire Blasts with similar force.  The other Monks and Nuns said it was too powerful and destructive to be used by noble Airbenders and never used it. 

His experience with surviving on his own gave him a unique opportunity to see which forms were the most useful outside the Air Temples. He knew what would keep me alive, because it had kept him alive.

Through our sessions and our meals Wu Lai told me more of what it was like to be raised in the Air Temples.

They don't have traditional families, but see raising children as a duty for the entire Temple. From birth, they raised in large nurseries with several adults looking after them. They are feed, clothed and cared for in an environment that demonstrates one of the core teachings on the Air Temples; the Temple is one large family, and should act as such.

Once the children reach the age of five, they are taught in schools run by the Monks. They would use the time not so much to teach the children, but to discover if they were Airbenders or not. It was not uncommon for the Monks to routinely to throw things at the children to see if they would be able to deflect them. Their were many broken noses in Wu Lai's class.

Any children that showed the promise of Airbending were whisked away underneath the cliff of the Temples. There, they would begin their long road to become Airbending masters and earn their tattoos.

The classes were not nearly as harsh as the Fire Army. Airbenders were seen as higher and more noble to their non-bender counterparts, groomed and trained to be aloof and passive in their demeanor. Once they had earned their tattoos, they effectively ruled the lands as a Lord would, taking tribute from below, and selling it at profit abroad. For Wu Lai, it was a disappointing climax to the end of his schooling.

He loved Airbending, and loved learning what new abilities and techniques he could discover, but he knew at a young age that this system was not one he wanted to participate in. A friend named Youzin had shown him a different path.

They met when they were young, before Wu Lai ever showed his Airbending talent. Once his power appeared, and he was brought to train in Airbending, they continued their friendship. It was uncommon for an Airbender and a non-bender to remain friends after being sorted into different classes at the temple.

The Monks were all too good at teaching that the benders were superior in their abilities an their social rank. They would not tolerate open aggression between the two groups, but the Monks said that “Words were not wind.”, so those were accepted. Even so, they weren't always around to stop the abuse that often found the non-benders.

Their friendship was seen as odd to the older monks, or sometimes as charity on Wu Lai's part. Perhaps he was going to protect her from the other children. He didn't go much further into the explanation, I could tell he was upset about how she had been treated.

She told him that the classes she was forced to attend were all based around farming. Times for planting, methods of harvest, how to properly plow fields, how to take care of the Moose Ox that pulled the plows, and other dull details were drilled into her head day and night.

The only lessons that they shared were about history and politics. That is where I hear similar lessons from my schooling. The students were taught that theirs was the superior element since no one can live without air. “Air is the strongest element! Without air we suffocate! Fire Nation is ruthless! Earth Kingdom is slow! Water Tribes are broken!” were drilled into them much like the Fire Armies lessons. They learned that even though they were strong trade partners to the other nations, they should never fully trust them.

The Fire Nation was all too eager to start a war, but they needed the goods they traded so they were never a threat. The Earth Kingdom was full of fools that couldn't remember how to put their pants on correctly. The Water Tribes were too disorganized to unite into anything that could be dangerous.

There were extra lessons on how to recognize Bear Whale ships and how important it was to avoid them while on a Sky Bison. Considering the Nomads are the only form of international delivery outside the Bear Whale Company, they were right to fear them.

As the years went on, Wu Lai said he grew closer to Youzin. They would spend free time together, Wu showing her some Airbending tricks he had learned while Youzin would instruct Wu Lai on how to properly take care of the massive Bull Sloths that they used to plow the massive fields. He never smiled more in our travels than when he was talking about Youzin.

One day, while going over how to properly do an Airkick to launch off the ground, Wu was talking about his birthday. He said something about Youzin and he abruptly stopped talking. It felt like there was more, and I wanted to pry for more information, but the serious face he wore told me not to dig into the matter. For many months, he never mentioned her again.

During my time with Wu Lai I was able to see more of the Western Air Temple's lands. There were fields covering every nook and cranny of arable land, even stepped into the mountainsides themselves. Wu Lai told me this is one of the many things he disagreed with the monks about.

They would clear any land they could, driving out all the creatures living there if needed. Many would not survive the exodus, but since the changes did not directly kill the animals, it was not seen as against their code.

The raised crops and felled trees went abroad. Vast wealth returned. While the food they produced fed the world, it came at a cost. With so much attention being put on the goods they produced, there was little time to worry about protecting their people.

As in the Temples, non-benders were treated as second class citizens. At least in the Fire Nation, a non-bender could rise through the military if they had the strength. In the Air Temples, there was no such option. I witnessed the non-bender subjugation many times while I was with Wu Lai.

In a camp of farmers we passed through, at a loss for game or wild foods, we had stopped to try and purchase food from the locals. It was a field that catered to numerous nations with all types of grain, berries, apples and other produce I didn't recognize.

"We'd be more than happy to pay for some of your food, if you can spare it." Wu Lai began.

At first the farmers were confused at first.

"You are a Monk. Just take what you want and please be on your way." she said with a forced smile and a nervous tone.

Wu Lai waived away her statement. "Don't worry about that, I've got some money and that corn looks delicious. How much for a few ears?"

The farmers became increasingly confused, as was I. Wu Lai later explained the situation. When Monks come to the farms looking for food, they don't ask, they simply take what they want. It comes from an ancient tradition to always feed a hungry Monk.

It started when the Air Monks were more nomadic and were constantly traveling. It was custom for farmers to feed and house Air Nomads. In turn, the Monks would help the farmers and defend them against any attackers that might come to pillage their lands. Now, it is just a free meal that the Monks took advantage of whenever they saw fit.

Wu Lai pulled out a few coppers and held his hand out. "What do you think this will buy?' he asked with a smile on his face.

The farmer cautiously counted the coins, thinking that it was part of some game or trap. They quickly got a basket and filled it with produce. As they presented the basket to Wu Lai it was knocked away by and Air Blast.

A Monk dropped from the sky with an impact of air that blew Shumoto off the ground. She recovered and landed next to me, ready to attack.

The Monk was tall and imposing. He had a tight robe with muscled arms and hands that gave him a aura of authority.

"Leave now. These crops are for the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom, not filthy beggars."

He turned to face the farmers, clearly angry. "You all know that this is not your property. These fields belong to the Western Air Temple. By trying to sell them, you are stealing from the Temple. Do you want to be branded as thieves?"

The farmers dropped to their knees and begged for forgiveness. They pleaded in every manner that they could avoid whatever followed being branded a thief.

The Monk's hot air erupted when he spotted Wu Lai. The guard whistled and two more Airbenders descended, landing at his sides.

“Outcasts are not welcome here.” He said like a mantra.

Wu was more than happy to fight them, raising his staff ready to attack. I got in front of him to try to talk some sense into him.

"Hey, this is not the time for a fight! Think of the farmers. They are too close for an all out Airbending battle. One of them could get hurt or worse."

The possibility of one of the farmers getting hurt was all it took to snap Wu Lai out of his desire for a fight. He lowered his staff and turned to walk away.

The Monks, happy with our retreat, took back to the sky to continue monitoring the farms from above. We were about to take flight as well when the female farmer approached us. She handed us a scrawled note that said, “One Hour, Storehouse.” Hunger kept us close by until the appointed time.

We showed up, not really knowing what would happen. The farmer met us with a basket of cabbage, grain, apples, and corn. She offered to give us the food for free, seeing how hungry we were. We insisted on paying her for the defiance of the Monk and her willingness to assist us.

We exchanged the money for the food and were looking forward to a nice meal. Just as we were about to take flight, an Airblast knocked the basket away. Four Airbenders dropped from above into fighting stances.  They pointed their gliders at us, ready to unleash more blasts if needed.

The Monk from before was among their ranks and spoke, "I told you that Outcasts are not welcome here. This is your last chance. Leave now or things will get ugly."

Wu said, “We paid for our goods. We're leaving with them, or fighting you as thieves.”

The head monk replied, “Don't think that we are scared of you, Outcast. Leave now, or painful consequences await.”

“They sure do,” retorted Wu Lai and the air started flying.

Air Blasts buffeted the surrounding area. One smashed into the storehouse, blowing out walls. I saw a blade of air come right at me, and shot a Fireball to reduce it to a breeze. I was struck by one blast, but spun around with my Firewhips and got the Airbender by the foot, throwing him into a nearby field.

Wu Lai made and Air Stone and sent it flying at an enemy. She tried to divert it, but before she could mount a defense, it hit her and she was thrown into a nearby river. The third Monk mounted his glider, rose up and dove at me. My whips were able to cut the glider's wings and he crashed into the remains of the store house.

Shumoto flew at the Monk I threw into the field. He had risen and threw several Airblasts at her. She dodged, flying low and kicking into his stomach, knocking him to the ground.

The Nun that was thrown into the river blasted out with her glider. She was determined and ready as I lashed out with my Firewhips. She dodged them and sent an Airblast that struck me in the chest. I was thrown to the ground, and tried to recover. She sent an Airblade towards me that might have cut right through me had I not Airbent myself a few feet off the ground.

I spun in the air, and kicked three Fireblasts at her, two she dissipated, the third struck her arm and sent her spinning to the ground. This time, she stayed down.

Wu Lai and the last Monk were hurtling Airblast at each other. A tornado was forming between them, getting more powerful by the second. If they did not stop, it would destroy the surrounding area, including the homes of the farmers. So I had to think fast.

I created a Fire Grenade and threw it into the middle of the tornado, then I commanded it to explode. The resulting force was enough to knock all of us to the ground. Wu Lai rose, and regarded me with an impressed gaze.

“Wow, that was something else.” He said, patting me on the shoulder. Laughingly, he said, “Next time you try something like that, give me a heads up, will ya? That could have hurt.”

I chuckled, “You got it. Lets finish this, I'm starving.”

Wu Lai approached the Monk, who was lying on the ground, barely conscious. He held the end of his glider to the monk's face and spoke. “We're taking our dinner back. Tell those high Temple Monks that the food was lost from rot or fungus or anything else you can think of. Any farmers get blamed for this, and any little breeze tells me what's been done, we will be back to finish what we started. Understand?”

The terrified monk squeaked, “Yes!”

We gathered up our food, paid the farmer double what we agreed upon, and left. Wu told me, years later, he went back to the farm, just to check on things. The farmers were treated better, allowed to sell a few crops on the road to make a few coins. It wasn't much, but they seemed happy, which is as much consolation the common folk can get in this world.

The more we traveled, the more Wu Lai and I would be approached by others asking for our help. We ran into a small farming village that asked for our protection while they were gathering their crops. These were not the crops for the Air Temples, so the usual Monks that would stand guard were otherwise occupied.

Wu Lai explained that the Monks cared little for the crops being raised to feed the peasants. This lack of security made the farmers easy targets for bandits. Wu Lai agreed to help with no hesitation.

We spent a week in their village, mostly standing guard over the farmers in the fields and rice paddies while they were harvesting. No bandits came, and it was a quiet time where I was able to witness the people of the Air Temples is a way I never thought I would.

The peasants are a much hardier bunch than I was led to believe. Farming is a rough life, but these people sang beautiful songs as they did the bitterest work. I was never taught of their love of music, and experiencing it first hand was a true joy.

By the time their food was safely hidden and secured, it was time for us to disappear as well. They offered all the money they had as payment for our work, a paltry sum, but a fortune to these people. Wu and I would not deprive these people of what little money they had. We accepted two bags of rice as payment and we went on our way.

I didn't get to see the other Air Territories, but Wu Lai was able to fill in what he had experienced. While he was still at the Western Air Temple, the head monks from the other temples would visit every year or so. They would convene to discuss the direction that the Air Nation should take. It never went well.

Each Air Temple only cared for the nation that was closest to each temple. All through the meetings, they would only be addressing the concerns of their parent nation.

A few times they tried to come up with a plan for one monk, or a group of monks to be the leader of their people to try and make a true Air Nation. No one could agree over anything that resembled a unified plan for the Air Nation. Each time they tried, they got bogged down in the the tiniest details.

Each Temple tried to maneuver the system so that their Temple would be in charge. As a result each Temple is run like an independent nation.

The Southern Temple wanted to increase lumber production so that they could appease the Bear Whale Trading company. With all the gold that had been pouring in to the Southern Temple, they offered to shower their riches on the temples. They promised to make grander and larger monasteries than had ever been seen. Many in the Air Temples, especially the Nomads, didn't trust the Bear Whale Trading Company. They were all too quick to attack Sky Bison and anyone riding them, so they wanted nothing to do with such a ruthless company.

The Northern Temple saw the exploitation of the land as an attack on their nomadic heritage and the Spirits which dwelt in their lands. They wanted to pursue a more calm and even approach. The Monks of the north were attempting to return to a peaceful and more spiritually enlightened path for the Air Temples. They spoke of great turmoil growing in the Spirit World. Since this wasn't affecting the current profits that the other Temples were being showered with, spiritual issues were disregarded.

The Eastern Temple wanted to start mining the lands of the Air Temples for raw ore. They wanted to be able to get more peasants from the other Temples to help with the mining process. It is much more labor intensive than farming or felling trees, so they were always looking for more workers. The other Temples wanted to keep their people in their lands to keep their money coming in.

The Western Temple would argue over which types of crops to grow. They wanted to gain access to the arable lands and exploit them as they had done their own. The other Temples would need to suspend their operations with mining and lumber production to gain access to the land, which they would not allow.

These disagreements further tethered them to their individual Temples and was one more hindrance to their nomadic spirit.  There were still Air Nomads, but with such wealth at their fingertips, many chose to stay at their temples and monasteries.  Even the title of Nomad has become something of an insult.  It's closer to bum or vagabond and many believe them to be beggars and thieves rather than travelers.  When Air Nomads set up near towns, hostility is soon to follow. 

We heard many stories of the Spirits as we traveled. Vastly powerful beings who once were content to cohabit these lands with the Air Nation, now stirring in dangerous ways. Many stories sounded like tales to scare children.

A large spirit with snakes for hands would come at night and steal people's livestock, or that a certain spirit hated cabbage and would set a blight on any cabbage field in the area. Some Nomads told of a forest in the Fire Nation where people would go in and start hearing voices telling their deepest secrets.

I learned that these are not all just stories.

Since I was young, I had heard that the Avatar being a connection to the Spirit World, but never really understood what that meant. Was I a literal bridge that people could use to get to the Spirit World? Would one day I have massively powerful Spirit come through me to enter our world?

I had no knowledge of what any of it meant, until I met Pha.

Wu Lai, Shumoto, and I were flying one day when we saw four Monks supervising a group of farmers. They were tilling the ground, much like many of the other farms we had seen with Bull Sloths pulling the plows.

We were not thinking of stopping until we heard a commotion beneath us. The plow had been smashed and the peasants went running. The Bull Sloths didn't seem to be reacting to the situation, only continuing their slow walk through the field. The Monks on the other hand all seemed on edge.

We landed, thinking that there were bandits on the loose and that we might be able to help protect the peasants. The Monks didn't notice Wu Lai's brand and were happy enough for the help to keep from looking too close at us. We readied ourselves for a second attack. None came and we became nervous at the stillness.

We stayed there, motionless, trying to find out what could have destroyed the plow so easily when a great wind came at us. Even with Airbending, I was not able to keep much of the wind from stinging my eyes.

A loud voice boomed at us, "LEAVE! NEVER RETURN!" The Monks started fleeing before the second sentence

Shumoto shook with fear, but refused to leave my side. Wu Lai had a similar reaction. He shot an Airblast in the direction of the voice, doing nothing to stop the wind.

I used my Airbending to get my voice as loud as possible, "Stop this attack! Innocents are in danger! As the Avatar, I will defend them!"

The wind stopped at once. The field became quiet and still. Only the sounds of the Bull Sloths snorting remained.

Above us, I felt a great spiritual energy and the voice began again, "THE AVATAR. THE BRIDGE. THE BRINGER OF BALANCE. I AM PHA, THE GUARDIAN OF THIS ONCE GREAT FOREST. WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"

Above, I saw a being made entirely of light. It was 20 feet tall, having a face painted like a green kabuki mask with long flowing robes of green and while that extend far past it arms and legs. It flowed in the breeze as it was made of clouds.

We were unable to speak in the presence of such a being. It spoke as a thunderous whisper in our heads. I was frozen in awe of what was before me.

"YOUR ABSENCE HAS BEEN COSTLY. THE WORLD HAS CHANGED, AND YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING TO SLOW ITS PROGRESS. I ASK, NO, DEMAND YOUR ASSISTANCE."

Its voice had a force that felt like a great weight and I struggled to find words, "What do you mean? I've only just begun learning Airbending. I don't even know Waterbending or Earthbending."

"THE AVATAR IS MUCH OLDER THAN YOUR SHORT LIFE. YOU HAVE BEEN ON THIS WORLD FOR AGES MORE THAN YOU REALIZE. THERE IS MUCH FOR YOU TO DO TO RESTORE WHAT HAS BEEN LOST."

"I don't understand. What am I supposed to restore? I don't know what you are talking about."

"YOUR LAST FEW MORTAL LIVES HAVE BEEN SHORT, AND BALANCE HAS BEEN ITS PRICE. NOW, YOU MUST BRING ORDER THROUGH WHATEVER MEANS POSSIBLE. THE SPIRITS HAVE SUFFERED, AND YOU MUST RETAKE OUR LANDS SO THAT WE MAY LIVE. THESE HUMANS WHO HAVE DESTROYED MY FOREST MUST BE EXPUNGED," it said, pointing towards the now cowering Monks and peasants

"Y-you want me to kill them? Never! They might have farmed too much land, but that is not a crime worthy of death!"

"NO, YOUNG AVATAR, THEY HAVE ATTEMPTED TO DESTROY ME. WITHOUT MY FOREST, I AM WEAK. WHEN THE HUMANS CAME HERE TO START THEIR FIRST FARMS, I TOOK PITY ON THEM, AND LET THEM HAVE A PORTION OF MY LANDS SO THEY WOULD NOT STARVE.”

The Spirit stopped, gazing over the vast flat lands that extended farther than we could see.

"WHEN DEALING WITH HUMANS, IF A LEAF IS OFFERED, THE TREE TAKEN. IT WAS NOT LONG BEFORE MY FOREST WAS BUT A GRAIN OF SAND COMPARED TO ITS FORMER GLORY.”

Pha clenched its fists and started to gather wind, possibly getting ready for another attack.

"I ONCE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DESTROY THESE PITIFUL HUMANS WITH A MERE GESTURE. WITHOUT MY ANCHOR, A BREEZE IS ALL I CAN MUSTER. ONCE THEY ARE DESTROYED AND MY FOREST IS RESTORED, I WILL BE ABLE TO DEFEND IT MYSELF. NOW IT IS YOUR DUTY TO RESTORE BALANCE."

"Well, I do want to help you, but I can't destroy these people for trying to farm their lands. That is not balance, that is murder!"

“AVATAR, YOURS IS A POSITION ABOVE SUCH CONCEPTS. TO PRESERVE BALANCE, THERE IS NO PRICE TOO HIGH. DESTROY THEM! SAVE ME!”

I had no idea what to do. I was supposed to preserve balance, but to destroy innocent people to do it was not how I viewed the purpose of the Avatar. Unfortunately, my decision was made for me.

With all the talk of getting killed, the Monks decided to take matters into their own hands. From behind me, I saw four columns of Air stream towards the Spirit. They all struck the Spirit in the chest.

Pha shuddered and fell to the ground. The earth rumbling when it struck.

We spun around, doing what we could to defend Pha, not really knowing why. It was just so powerless and weak. I couldn't stand by and do nothing, regardless of Pha's intentions.

Wu Lai started firing back, Shumoto took flight, drawing some blasts her way. I went over to the Pha, who was clearly hurt, seeing if there was anything I would be able to do to help it.

“I NEVER THOUGHT THAT HUMANS COULD HARM ME SO GREATLY. TRULY, YOU ARE POWERFUL.” Pha said before more Airblasts struck it. Pha screamed in agony. I could tell that it would not take much more abuse.

Two Monks broke away from the fight and were blasting away at Pha. I roared and breathed fire at them, knocking one to the ground while the other dodged to the left.

“We need to protect our farm! This thing has to go!” Yelled the last Monk as it launched a series of Air Blades at Pha. I spun my staff, trying to stop the assault, but I couldn't dissipate every blade. Several found their mark on the already weekend spirit and it let out a yell.

I kicked an Airblast at the last Monk who was launched backward with the blast, and propelled myself to Pha. I landed near it, and I knew it would not be long before the end.

“IN THIS NEW WORLD, THE SPIRITS HAVE NO PLACE. OUR TIME MAY BE COMING TO AN END. MINE SURELY HAS.”

“No, we can save you. I am the Avatar, there has to be something I can do.” I said feebly.

“NO, YOUNG AVATAR, I HAVE SEEN MY ERROR. BECAUSE MY ANCHOR WAS DESTROYED, I LOST MY WAY AND MY MEMORIES. I REMEMBER EVERYTHING NOW. I WAS ONCE THE HUMAN'S PROTECTOR, BUT THAT TIME IS OVER.”

“Please, tell me what I can do to save you.”

“NOTHING, BUT YOU CAN SAVE OTHER SPIRITS FROM MY FATE. HUMANS AND SPIRITS CAN LIVE TOGETHER, HAVE LIVED TOGETHER, BUT WE MUST BE REMINDED OF HOW TO DO SO. YOU MUST BE OUR TEACHER.”

Pha's fingers reached out and touched my chest and forehead. A warmth filled my body and my mind filled with new memories.  Pha's memories.

The humans coming to this land, Pha seeing them struggle, Pha's compassion causing her to help the humans survive the first years, the rest of the land being cleared by the Air Temples, Pha getting weaker, Pha's mind falling apart, fostering contempt for the humans, this morning.

I snapped out of the trance. My head was spinning with the new information.

“YOU ARE PART HUMAN AND PART SPIRIT. YOU MUST BECOME A BRIDGE BETWEEN BOTH IF WE ARE TO SURVIVE. IF YOU FAIL, ALL WILL FALL TO MY FATE. FAREWELL.”

And with that, Pha's body started to glow. Slowly it disintegrated, each speck turning mote of light in the shape of a leaf, floating up towards the sky, until there was nothing left.

I sat there for a long time, Shumoto nuzzling my hands the way she always does when she knows I am sad. Wu Lai rested his hand on my shoulder, waiting for what I would do next.

I vowed that day to make a world where Spirits and Humans would be able to live together. without one, the other falls. I meditate on this everyday, for it is crucial to our cause.

After our interaction with Pha, Wu Lai told me about the previous Airbender Avatar, Tenso of the Northern Air Temple. Her story is much stranger than I was taught in the Fire Nation.

I was always taught that Tenso, being an Airbender, was a coward. She shunned her duties and abandoned her role as the Avatar. She was flippant and had no care for the rest of the world, dying at a young age from bandits

She was always taught as a weak person and not worthy of her powers. Again, the Fire Nation lies about anything that it can in the march to advance their own agenda. Wu Lai taught me the true story.

Tenso was a natural with her bending and was well on her path to earning her tattoos by age 14, young even for an Avatar. It is written that she was extremely well attuned to the Spirits and their concerns. More so that any previous Avatar.

It was said that she could meditated in and out of the Spirit world with ease. Older, more seasoned Monks had difficulty to even glimpse the wonders of the Spirit World. With Tenso's ability to enter their world and interact with the Spirits, she had ancient knowledge that no others possessed.

Her only dislike for the endeavor was that once she entered the Spirit World, she lost her access to her bending. She said it made her feel weak, but the ability to commune with the Spirits made the price worth paying.

After one such trip, she said the Spirit World had changed into a darker version of it's previous beauty. There were a growing number of Spirits that were angry at not being able to enter our world. They claimed that our world was theirs and were working on some kind of doorway to invade.

As the Avatar, Tenso could not allow this to happen. The resulting influx of especially violent Spirits would throw our world into chaos. She had to go back into the Spirit World to try and stop this from happening, even though she would not have her bending for protection.

For balance, it was worth the risk. The other Monks stood guard over her physical body while she meditated. Weeks went by without any movement. The Monks started to worry, but her body did not waste away. She simply sat.

That is, until she fell over, never to rise again. No one knows what happened in the Spirit World, but it cost Tenso her life. Whatever she did halted or at least delayed the Spirits from their invasion. Tenso's ability to attune with the concerns of the Spirits is something that this world desperately needs.

Our little band continued to travel, never staying in one place for more than a few days. Wu Lai wanted to show me as much of the lands of the Western Air Temple as possible.

We met a group of Air Nomads while traveling. They were in a bind as they were trying to get a shipment of goods to the Earth Kingdom, but the Bear Whale Trading Company had other plans.

Their sailors had stolen the Nomad's Sky Bison in the night, probably to sell for food. Sky Bison steaks go for big money in the Earth Kingdom. Now the troupe was grounded with their payload undelivered, but there was more to their situation.

When they talked about their bison, I could hear the pain in their voices. I could see their faces drop when they thought of losing their friends. I looked down at Shumoto, and knew what would happen to me if she were in the same situation. I looked at Wu Lai, who nodded back, ready to help.

Wu Lai and I had a plan. We took the two best benders they had with us and silently made our way towards the Bear Whale camp. Sky Bison can be skittish around those who do not know them. It took a month to get Shumoto to trust me; I doubted we could get terrified Sky Bison to follow us within minutes.

The Bear Whale mercenaries had set up camp on the beach outside a cave, waiting for their parent ship to return. Fluff, fur, and giant footprints covered the ground, so it was a safe bet the bison were in the cave.

We crept down to the the first tent, finding two asleep men. Their snores meant they would not wake easily, so we left them to their dreams.

I sent Shumoto to check the other tents to see if anyone else might be asleep. She returned and shook her head; the other mercenaries were fast asleep and would be no trouble if we could stay quiet.

There were two awake guards by a fire near the cave entrance. A quick Airblast at each side and they collided, knocking them unconscious.

We entered, finding five bison chained to the walls. They were scared and nervous when they spotted us, but the Nomads calmed them down in moments. I made some fire to burn through the chains, which caused the Sky Bison to roar in fear. With so much noise, it was only a few minutes before more guards would arrive.

Everything was going to plan up until the ice started flying. It shattered around our feet and Wu created an air shield to try and protect us. The smallest shards were deflected, but the bigger ones passed through easily enough. Firebending proved to be a better option.

I started hurling blasts as fast as my arms would go. Since we anticipated this outcome, I was able to harness my Breath to its full effect. I shot fire out of the cave until the ice stopped.

We couldn't hold this position for long. They would kill the bison before letting us have them, so we needed to act fast. I mounted my glider and Airkicked to get flying. Shumoto followed and we blasted out the cave entrance.

There were six benders at the mouth of the cave. Two pulling water from the coast, two forming the water into Ice Lances, the last two would then launch them into the cave. It was extremely efficient, everyone doing only part of the job, making them a much more dangerous. I could see why the Bear Whales were so feared.

They turned their attention to myself and Shumoto and started launching Lances our way. I tried to counter attack, but they were far to well trained for anything like that.

The lances few around us as we dipped and dodged in the sky. Shumoto, being a much faster and more nimble flier was able to avoid any close calls. I was not so lucky.

One lance struck my leg, giving me a nasty cut. One struck my glider, cutting a chunk out a chunk of wood from the right wing. With their frequency and aim I didn't know how much longer I could keep up the aerial acrobatics.

Suddenly, the lances stopped coming. I looked down the the beach, seeing Wu and the other monks standing over the mercenaries. They were able to sneak up from behind them and knock them out while I was distracting them.

The two Nomads mounted the Sky Bison and together we flew back to their camp. Upon our return, the other Nomads flooded to their Bison and cheered for the joy in heart over the reunion. Remembering the way they reacted to the return of their companions still brings a tear to my eye.

They threw an impromptu party in our honor which lasted until the next morning. Wu Lai and I remained on edge, making sure the Bear Whales learned their lesson. By their lack of a counter attack, we figured they had.

After we finally woke up, the Nomads offered us a permanent position as their guards. The pay would be good and we could travel as much as we wanted. Too perfect an option for the Avatar, and the three of us moved on.

Wu Lai, Shumoto and I kept wandering the Western Air Temple, doing what we could to right wrongs and help people. We would meet common people who needed help and we would offer what help we could.

A family would be taking a pilgrimage to a festival. We would travel with them and see them safely to their destination.

A group of farmers were building a new barn for their Bull Sloths. Wu Lai and I assisted with the construction.

We found a child crying at the edge of a road, separated from his family during a storm. We looked after him until we found his parents in a nearby village.

Each time we would help someone they would offer some form of payment. Each time we would turn it down in favor for some much smaller gift, if we accepted anything at all. Wu Lai taught me that helping people was a duty. That if you could help, you must.

Back on the road, I asked Wu Lai to go over the 32 forms of Airbending again and again. The training was a distraction more than an exercise as I was able to master most techniques without much trouble.

It was a place holder for a more important conversation that I was a nervous to begin. I knew that this one question might possibly change our relationship, which was the last thing I wanted to do. No matter how hard I tried, I knew it had to happen.

We were trying out some tandem gliding moves, when I asked, “Wu Lai, why are you doing this? Why do you travel around and help people and ask for almost nothing in return? You aren't bound to protect others, and you take the barest of rewards for the tasks. I'm the Avatar, and I choose this duty, but why did you start helping others?"

He stared at me for a few moments, then pointed for a clear space to land, which we did. He sat under a tree, much like he had when we first met, and began his tale.

“One year on my birthday, Youzin had saved up some money to buy me a gift. She told me to wait by the tree where we'd first met, and she'd be by to drop it off. It was a real scorcher of a day, but I sat there meditating in the shade, pretending to be patient.”

He grew quiet, paused in thought. “It was soon after I heard the screams and ice shattering. The Polar Boar Gang was back in force to ravage the village grounds. Youzin wasn't back yet, and since I knew that no one else would, I had to protect her. I flew to the town as fast as I could.”

For the first time since we met, I found sadness in his eyes. "I wasn't fast enough."

His normal aloof attitude fell away to show a more serious side from him as he continued, “I saw the whole thing happen from the air. Youzin and one of the bandits were wrestling over her bag of coins. Other airborne Monks flew right over her, refusing to stop and help. They were more concerned about getting under the cliffs to protect their wealth than worrying about actual lives.”

He looked to his side, lost in his past.

“I was diving towards her when the man...” He struggled to finish, but eventually found the words. “...plunged his knife in her chest.” He stopped for what felt like an eternity. I was completely without words.

He eventually continued. “He laughed, pulling out the knife and walking away with the bag.”

A single tear rolled down his cheek, and he turned away, trying to hide his uncharacteristic emotion. He wiped it away and reached into his robe and pulled a tattered cloth bag, jingling lightly. The weathered pattern, a relic from his youth.

"Ten Copper pieces. That's the price that man put on her life.”

It was Youzin's bag. Wu had kept it all these years. I started to cry, but didn't trouble to hide it.

Wu Lai studied the fabric for a minute and recomposed himself. “She looked me in the eyes unable to speak. I saw the life drain out of her until she was gone. I couldn't do anything to bring her back.”

He gripped his glider until his knuckles turned white and clenched his teeth as he spoke through them, “But I could at least stop the men on their rampage to make sure this would never happen again. I jumped and landed in front of the bandit. Before he could utter a word or make a move I threw an Air Stone at his head, breaking his neck.”

He returned the bag to his robes and recomposed himself, “One of the Monks saw what happened. I was branded an Outcast later that day and banished from the Temple.”

Wu Lai stared up towards the clouds. “The Air Temples teach separation. That as sky and the land aren't one, we should be with each other. Wanting to save themselves, I get it. We all want to live. But to have the power to save another, and not do anything, that is a crime worthy of banishment.”

He rose to his feet, flexing to his full height. His voice rose with him. “I won't share a meal with anyone who hides behind a moral high ground to cover their own cowardice. Until things change, I'm going to help those who need it, by whatever methods I can, and damn anyone who calls me wrong!”

I was still crying at by the time he had stopped speaking. I tried to calm myself, but to no avail. It had been weeks since I had mastered the last techniques Wu Lai could teach. I had stayed because it was the happiest I had ever been.

People like Wu Lai, who were driven to protect those who could not, were what the world needed. Apathy and disregard for others were dividing the Air Temples, against each other and themselves.

The world needs people who see their duty is to protect those who cannot protect themselves. The world needs those who put themselves in harms way because it is the right thing to do.

The world needs the Avatar, a force for balance, a master of all elements. I would not get that if I stayed in the clouds. Were I to live a life with Wu Lai, the world would suffer.

It was time to leave. The tears continued to roll down my cheeks. “I promise I'll become an Avatar that Youzin would have been proud of.”

I heard Wu Lai sniff back a tear, replying “I have no doubts.”

We hugged for a long time. Shumoto leaned against Wu Lai as we embraced. There was no need to say goodbye – Outcasts never say goodbye. I readied my glider to take flight when Wu put his hand on my shoulder.

“You know, that thing you made pulls to the left when you're hitting an updraft. That's shoddy workmanship.”

I rolled my eyes. “So this is how you want to leave things?” I asked, jokingly.

“Here,” he held out his glider. “This one flies true, and you've got some rough skies ahead.”

An Airbender's glider was much more than a tool or a weapon. It becomes an extension of their body. The ancient teachings say that as it passed to each Monk, a little bit of their soul dwelt inside. To give it away was to loose a part of yourself.

To give it to a friend was to accompany them on their journey.

This time I was able to hold back my tears as we exchanged gliders. He looked at me with the biggest smile I ever saw him have, nodded, opened his new glider and took flight. I watched him until he was a spot on the horizon, and then gone.

Shumoto whined as she watched him disappear. I petted her on the head. “Don't worry girl, we'll see him again.”

Shumoto squawked a happy tone at me, and I opened my new glider. Wu Lai was right, it was of more sturdier construction than my own. I could feel the years in the grain of the wood. This glider flew true, and worse weather was sure to be ahead. I pointed the nose north and kicked a blast to speed the journey.

Shumoto and I were on a course for the Water Tribes. A land of ice and danger.

 


	5. Book 3: Water

Book 3 - Water 

 

Shumoto and I flew to a harbor on the eastern coast of the Western Air Temple. With the Southern Water Tribe on the other side of the world, the Northern Water Tribe was my best chance to find a master would teach me.

Even though it was closer, the distance to the nearest port in the Northern Water Tribe was three times the length of my trip to the Western Air Temple. Flying or sailing by myself were out of the question.

My time with Wu Lai was well spent, but our selflessness in refusing most rewards left me with almost no money. It was enough to purchase a coat and thick pants for myself and a blanket for Shumoto to keep us warm in what would be certainly be a shockingly cold place.

The few coppers left over would not come close to purchasing a ticket on a boat for the trip, so I had to get creative.

A common practice in these parts was to hire on Airbenders to provide additional thrust on board ships. They bend great breezes into the sails, cutting as much as a quarter of the trip off any voyage. A quick display of Airbending in front of a captain and I had a job.

It was a smart thing to avoid this trip by myself.

We ran into a storm a few hours after we left port. The sea felt as if it was furious at our presence. Waves crashed over the main deck, trying to pull us to the bottom as punishment for our transgression. The ship listed back and forth in the wind, threatening to roll at any moment. For four days, little food stayed in my stomach for long.

The more seasoned sailors, who seemed impervious to the chaos erupting around us, mocked me at my inability to remain composed in the 'calm seas' they spoke of. For the duration of the trip I was known as Blubber Legs. It wasn't until we hit solid land that my legs returned to me.

The captain paid me a small bag of coins for my efforts, giggling as he did so. He said he would gladly have me on the ship again as I was the most entertaining thing he had seen in a year.

The town we docked in was a wondrous port city. Every building was made of huge sheets of ice. Buildings towered above anything I thought the material was capable of. Many of the sleds being pulled by Arctic Rams were made of ice as well. To the east of the city there was a large fort where I could see military men milling about.

Shumoto was not happy. She was used to a much warmer climate and even with bound in a blanket she shivered. Walking on snow and ice felt alien and uncomfortable and she chirped at me with every step. With her wings hidden under her blanket she could not fly, which was unacceptable. With her whines, it was clear that she would be happy to spend as little time in the North as possible.

Knowing that I needed to cheer her up, I lifted her onto my back, where she planted her hind legs on the strap of my pack and her talons rested on my shoulders. She squawked with approval and we ventured towards through the streets.

We encountered a fish market full of creatures that we had never seen before. We had never smelled them before either. The aromas were foreign, but powerfully enticing.

There were huge pots of soup being stirred by Waterbenders, fish being steamed in great big baskets, vegetables pickling on every corner. It hit me like a punch to the stomach. Hunger pains cut through me like a knife. I felt Shumoto's stomach rumble all the way through her blanket and my coat.

I ran to the nearest fish seller, pointing at two fish that looked plump and fresh. I put them on the two sticks I kept for grilling, scraped the scales off with my dull knife and Firebent them until the were roasted and crispy. I tossed one to Shumoto, which she ate with zeal. I finished my fish with similar speed and I turned around to purchase a second helping.

At this point I noticed that everyone in the market had stopped and was staring at me. Listening to my stomach, I had not taken into account how these people would respond to a Firebender in their midst.

The answer was, not well.

A woman screamed, “He's going to burn our homes down!”

Another yelled, “Call the Guards!”

A man said, “Don't let him near the children! Firebenders burn Rabbaroos for fun!”

People backed away from me with haste. Parents gathered up their children and retreated. An old lady fainted and was caught by her husband. I attempted to calm them down.

I shouted, “Wait, I don't want to hurt anyone! I'm just here for some food, which is delicious by the way! I'm only here to train in Waterbending!” No matter what I said they continued their retreat. I had only one option left.

“I only want peace! I'm the Avatar!” I said, as I Airbent a whirlwind at my feet and rose from the ground. The crowd froze for a moment, then the real screams started.

“HE GOING TO DESTROY OUR WHOLE TOWN!”

“CALL THE NAVY! CALL THE BEAR WHALES! CALL ANYONE TO STOP HIM!”

“RUN! RUN! RUN!”

A stampede started. Children were thrown on backs or simply pulled off the ground. The husband fainted, collapsing on top of his wife. Whole tables were knocked over, scattering fish and produce everywhere. I could only lower to the ground and watch the chaos unfold.

After a few moments, the market was empty. In another few moments it was full again, this time with Water Tribe guards all looking uneasy about confronting the Avatar, even if he was just a 15 year old kid. They inched closer to me, with Waterballs above their heads or nets in their hands.

I sat and waited to see what would happen. Shumoto was clearly on edge, so I patted her to calm her down as she sat in my lap. I did not want to cause a panic as I had done before, so I just waited. For many minutes, no one made a move.

After what seemed like hours I decided to do something. As calmly as I could, I said, “I don't want...” and we were pelted with snow.

When my vision cleared, we saw that we were encased in ice up to our necks. The nets came after, covering us so many times that it blocked out the sun.

“...to hurt anyone.” I dejectedly finished as I heard cheers of joy from the guards.

“We caught the lunatic! He'll never terrorize us again!”

“I heard someone say he was the Avatar! We caught the dangerous Avatar!”

I asked “Where are we going?” but no reply came. They loaded myself and Shumoto onto a sled and we were dragged into the fort near the docks. They quickly got us into our cells and locked the door behind us. My face was turning blue when they finally melted the ice from around our bodies.

Shumoto was not doing well after spending so long in a block of ice. Her breathing was slow and she shivered uncontrollably. I held her close and began to use the Breath to heat the surrounding area. I needed to get her temperature back up or she would be in trouble. We stayed like that for a few hours, with a guard coming by to make sure I wasn't trying to bend my way out. I just waited and tried my best to keep Shumoto warm.

The sun was at midday when a group of guards came and unlocked the door. One told me to follow him, I told him I would, but I would not leave Shumoto. He whispered to the guard next to him, then another, then the others started whispering to each other.

This went on for about a minute and the original guard said, “Fine, but if it steps out of line we will put it down.”

“That would be a mistake.” I replied coldly as I gathered her up in my arms and we followed the guards. In the hall there were about thirty strong looking Navy men, all Waterbenders, that walked with me. They were all carrying waterskins and clubs, looking as if they were trained with both.

I was led to a room and ordered to sit. The inside was made entirely of metal, as was the chair and the table. It was clearly meant to hold any type of bender. They put a chain from my wrist to the chair and the guards left the room.

As I sat, Shumoto began to fluff her feathers and her breathing returned to normal. She chirped as she tried to situate herself in my lap. With her well enough to fuss, I put her on the ground where she promptly fell back to sleep.

Soon after, a Water Tribe military officer came into the room. His uniform was much more ornate that the other guards, having lots of white trim and embellishment, and a row of military metals on the front of his jacket. This was the man in charge.

He sat down in the chair opposite and examined a scroll of parchment, never taking his eyes of it. I looked at him and waited for him to start talking, which he didn't.

One of the less abusive lessons from the Fire Army was surviving interrogation. We were taught to never crack under this kind of pressure.

The saying was, "If you don't break, they will." I remained silent.

As the stillness wore on, I tried a few tactics to keep myself from speaking. I would pet Shumoto, rattle the chain, rock in the chair creating a high pitch scrape, anything at all that I could do to not talk.

The man across from me was excellent at his job. His eyes never left his parchment. I would need to resort to more dramatic options if I were to get out of this.

The metal that the chain was made from was weak, not nearly the same strength as the chains that held the Sky Bison those months ago. I began to harness my Breath, focusing on the area around my wrist. The metal warped and became pliable. After a few minutes it was ready.

I raised my chained hand and pulled at the cuff with my free hand. The chain broke with loud snap, falling into a several pieces.

The officer fell over in his seat as it shattered. He got to his knees, staring at me saying, "H-how did you do that?"

I stayed in the chair, replying, “You should invest in stronger metal. These chains won't hold the Avatar.”

He got to his feet quickly looking flustered. He recomposed himself, slicking his hair back and sat down. He cleared his throat and began speaking, “It says here that you caused a riot in the south market. Why did you do that?”

Sitting calmly in my chair, I replied “I was just purchasing fish after a long trip, which was delicious by the way. I Firebent the fish to cook them. I had not idea that the crowd would be so scared of a little fire. You have my apologies.” I said as I bowed my head.

The man began to stutter, “But it then says that you used your A-Avatar power to create an even great amount of carnage, flying above the crowd with your Airbending. Wh-what do you have to say about that!”

I remained composed, “As the Avatar, it is my duty to preserve balance. The people were scared and I tried to show that I was who I said I was. The Avatar exists to keep the peace. We are a force for good in our world, and all should know that. Unless, someone has been telling lies about the purpose of the Avatar. That would be...” I paused for a moment and leaned towards him “...unfortunate.”

The man was getting more nervous by the second, grasping for words, “Yes, well, we all know about the Avatar, but now that the Avatar is of the Fire Nation people are obviously going to be nervous about his intentions. You know how Fire Nation citizens are.” I knew exactly where to strike.

“No, please tell me about my people.”

Sweat started to come down his brow, “Oh, well its not all that important. You seem like a good enough person, not like the others.”

“Tell me what you are taught of the Fire Nation.” I said, putting a stern tone into my voice.

He swallowed hard, “Uh, I don't think you need to know, its clear that your eyes aren't full of revenge.” He clapped his hand over his mouth.

I sat back, “You think that Fire Nation people all have eyes full of revenge?”

“NO! No, of course not. Certainly not the Avatar! You are here to give us balance and peace and things. Right?”

I stood up, “Absolutely, I am the Avatar for the entire planet, not just the Fire Nation.” I said as walked around the table and laid my hand on his shoulder. “And to prove I don't have eyes full of revenge, I am going to forgive you for almost killing my friend, Shumoto, by encasing her in ice.”

He look on the ground at Shumoto. “Oh no, the guards did that?" He shot from his chair like a bolt of lightning, scattering his scrolls. "I'll have them demoted at once! How dare they hurt the friend of the Avatar!”

I patted him on the back, “Now, now, they didn't know. It was a mistake and we all make mistakes. Even I did when I Firebent those fish and made everyone upset, which I sure do feel sorry about. I would love to help the people here."

I feigned a quizzical look for a few moments then snapped my fingers, "I've got an idea! How about I help rebuild the market? You wouldn't mind if I stuck around here for a few weeks and helped those businesses, would you?

“NO! I mean, no, we can rebuild the market, the Navy has some down time and we would be honored to help the Avatar in this matter. You clearly have more important things to do, being the Avatar and all.”

“That sounds like a very nice thing to do for these people. And if you could spread the word about the Avatar being a good person even though he is from the Fire Nation, it would go a long way to restoring balance.”

He saluted “Yes sir, Avatar sir. You can count on us to inform the public about the kindness of the Avatar.”

“Thank you... uh... what's your name?”

“Kamuta! Commander Kamuta, and don't worry about this village. They will know that the Avatar is a force for good!” He said sweat continuing to trickle down his face.

“You are a treasure to your people, Commander.” I said as shook his hand.

I gathered up Shumoto and went for the door. Kamuta opened the door himself and lead me to the front gate. All the while soldiers and guards looked completely confused, whispering as they locked their eyes on us. Kamuta hushed them, telling them to keep quiet and go about their duties. Another bewildered guard handed me my bag and glider and we were free to go.

I could hear the Commander let out an exhausted sigh as we walked down the path towards the harbor. I knew I had pushed my luck getting out of the fort, and not wanting another riot to erupt around me, I felt it best to leave as soon as possible.

I found a Fire Nation ship, The Ember Shirshrew, was able to gain passage after offering to work for nothing more than food and a bed for Shumoto and I. I would have done it for less, but the Captain was short on time, so he agreed. Within an hour, we were back out to sea. I flopped on the deck, physically and emotionally exhausted.

I realized that I was more upset than anything. There were people out there who were truly terrified of Firebenders and the Avatar. I had only been given a glimpse as to why. The people of the Air Temples I came across didn't care nearly as much as these Water Tribe members did. I needed to know why there was such a fear about who I was. It would have to wait, as the entire crew here was Fire Nation and I could not let them in on who I was, lest the Fire Army hear of it.

The next week fell into a steady routine of work, eat, work, sleep. It gave me time to ruminate as I worked with the crew. The words from Kamuta played over and over in my mind.

“Eyes full of revenge.”

Is that how people saw the Fire Nation? Sure, the Army was brutal, but the citizens I met afterward were all kind. There had to be a way to fix this problem. I rolled it around my head several times, but could not come up with anything before the Pirates attacked.

It was the eight day out to sea, early in the morning. I had just jumped into my hammock after a twelve hour shift, when the boat shuttered and came to a halt. I heard the snaps beneath me.

I saw the wood beneath me start to splinter, shooting chunks in every direction. I grabbed my glider and Shumoto who was squawking at the destruction under us and dove towards the door. I looked back for just a second to see gaping maw with numerous rows of teeth ripping its way through the hull of the ship. I had no idea what was happening, I only knew that I did not want to be here.

On the deck, things were much worse. A much larger ship was alongside mine and what looked like pirates swinging on ropes or using Waterbending to bridge the gap. They had swords or ice and were making liberal use of both. Two men came right at me, swords in hand, ready to strike. A quick bit of Airbending and they were in the water.

As I looked around, I saw others fighting the pirates. He crew was outnumbered two to one but the crew was putting up a brave fate in the face of such odds.

An Ice Spike flew at past my head and I heard, “Surrender Airmonkey, and we won't hurt you.” I looked left and saw a pirate with two Ice Lances, ready to strike. I snapped out two Firewhips and melted the Ice Lances before he could make a move.

“Wait, aren't your an AirAHHHH!” he said as he went into the water with an Airblast.

Shumoto took flight, diving towards pirate as he was swinging over from the enemy ship. She slashed through his rope and sent him tumbling into the water.

I knocked the sword out of another pirates grasp with one strike, then knocked him unconscious. I then engaged a Waterbender and pounded him with a flurry of smaller rapid Fireblasts that he could not deflect. The last blast knocked him back into his ship.

Evidently my Fire Army training blended well with the skills I learned with Wu Lai. I was surprised at the ease with which I was dispatching the pirates.

As I was about to attack another pirate when I heard a thunderous whistle. I swung my head around, finding the source of the noise. I gazed at the top deck of our ship, and saw a beautiful woman. She had all the regalia you would expect from the captain of Pirate Ship. A coat of blue and gold with a captain's hat to match, black penguinseal boots, a cutlass at each hip. She was holding the captain of the ship with one arm by the leg, dangling him over the side of the ship.

“Now, tell your men to stop fighting, especially the Fireshrimp there” she said, pointing to me “or Snuggles, Cuddlebun and Fluffy won't need to look for a meal tonight!”

He was terrified and asked, “Wh-Who!?!”

Just then, the same gaping maw that had almost ripped me apart in my hammock burst through the water. It was a Badgershark, one of the true terrors of the sea. All thirty feet of it arced out of the water, biting and slashing towards the Captain, inches away from his face. Then another. Then a third.

She draped her free hand onto her arm, dramatically crying out, “Watch it, my arm's starting to give out! I might drop you if you don't start surrendering!”

“YES! YES! I SURRENDER! EVERYONE SURRENDERS! STOP FIGHTING!” I put down my glider and put my hands up, as did the rest of the crew. She threw the Captain on the deck without so much as a second thought.

Shumoto, was next to me, nervous about what would happen next. I calmed her down, “Easy girl, lets see how this plays out, but be ready to fly.” She could always escape if need be. The rest of us were not as lucky.

The Pirates formed us into a line and held us there until the Captain came around. She was even more beautiful up close. She stood at least six and a half feet and had a swagger that commanded respect. She walked up and down the line of sailors.

“So, we meet again, The Ember Shirshrew. I thought we told you to stay out of these waters. We don't take kindly to Fire Nations ships in our water, Do we crew?!”

“NO!” the rest of the crew replied as one.

“Looks like we are going to have to teach them a lesson, right crew?!”

“YES!” They replied again.

She continued to walk do the row and stopped when she got to me. She was at least six and a half feet tall, towering over me. Her gaze felt like a weight on my shoulders. She held herself like she was impressed and disinterested all at the same time. I had a powerful feeling of weakness in front of her.

“Hey there Fireshrimp” her head tilted “or are you an Airmonkey? The shaved head makes it hard to tell.”

I remained quiet, trying not to be enraptured by this woman in front of me.

She hit me in the gut. She put little effort into it, but it was enough to knock me back. “Well, what are you? Start talking or I might not be so nice next hit. Are you a Fireshrimp or an Airmonkey?”

“Neither” I said through my teeth.

She regarded me with a joking amount of respect. “Oh, so it can talk.” she tossed her head back to her crew. “Well if it can talk, it must have a name. What, prey tell, should we call you?”

“Dao Tsu.”

She bent and met me, locking her ice blue eyes on mine. “So then Dao Tsu, what are you doing aboard a smuggling ship? Awfully young to start a life of crime.” She said as the other Pirates start laughing.

Confusion filled my face, “Smuggling ship?”

“Oh, Captain Shark Food didn't tell you? Well its your lucky day. Not only do you have the privilege of finding out you were illegally smuggling Polar Bear Dog skins to the Fire Nation, a serious crime in the North” said said while mounting a series of crates to give herself the highest platform she could acquire. “but you also get to meet me, Mashuka, Pirate Queen, Captain of the Ice Dagger, Mutineer of the North, Scourge of the Fire Nation!” She shouted, raising her hands, Waterbending huge waves to each side of the ship.

Silence followed. She looked extremely content with herself and added, “You may cheer now.”

The pirate crew erupted in a chorus of hollering and yelling that almost deafened me. They then proceeded to strip the ship of anything valuable, continuing to hold the crew hostage. It was at this time that they had finished fishing their crew out of the water. The third pirate that I knocked overboard came up to me, sputtering and soaking.

“This kid was Firebending and Airbending! I swear he was doing it during the fight!”

Mashuka spun on her heels at that comment, walking back over to me. Her face now serious with her dramatic flair gone.

“It this true?” She said, in a low voice.

I tried to remain quite, attempting to remember my interrogation training, thinking of any way that we could get out of this. Mashuka pulled back her hand to strike at me, and considering her immense strength, I decided that talking was the safer option.

“No, I'm just a Fireshrimp, and I am honored to meet you, Queen Mashuka.” I said bowing as I did. I looked at Shumoto and barked, “NOW!”

Shumoto spun around and took flight. I dove between Mashuka's legs, grabbing my glider as I did, opened its wings, and Air Kicked as hard as I could to get some altitude. I knocked the accusing Pirate back into the water with the blast. I gained some more altitude and spun around to follow Shumoto.

To my dismay, I looked down and saw that Shumoto caught in a ball of water, squawking angrily as her head was the only part not trapped. She clawed and flapped her wings wildly, making no progress on escaping. She only made it twenty feet from the ship before she was caught.

Looking down, I confirmed my suspicion. Mashuka was using her Waterbending to keep Shumoto in place. I was impressed with Mashuka's skill despite the circumstances Shumoto's speed was a test for anyone's reflexes. The ball was hovering above the surface of the water, the Badgersharks circling below.

“Well played kid!” She said with a chuckle, “but unless you want your pet to be the next meal for my friends, you better come back here so we can have a chat!”

There was no way to save Shumoto, so I returned to the ship, dropping in the exact same spot as before. I dropped my glider at her feet.

“Release Shumoto, now.” I growled.

Mashuka smiled as she retrieved my friend. The Waterfall release over my head and Shumoto dropped into my arms. The Waterball drenched us soon after, but I held her close to keep her safe.

“It's OK girl, we'll get out of this. I promise.” I said, trying to comfort her.

Mashuka's smile changed from a pandering face to a look of some respect. “Didn't think you would come back. Not many people would willingly put themselves in front of a pirate horde to save their pet.”

“Shumoto is not a pet.” I replied with some anger in my eyes.

“Clearly. Now about that bending business. You said you were a Fireshrimp, but you just did some fancy Airbending just now. Answer me honestly” she said lowering to my height again. “I will know if you are lying.” She paused, locking eyes with me. “Are you the Avatar?”

I stared back at her, “And if I am?”

She smiled, “Then I would be oh so curious to know why you are here.”

“Its a long story, and I still don't know if you are going to kill me or not.”

She smirked “Neither do I, but I'm bored. If you tell an interesting enough story, you might just live through this.” She gave me a friendly pat on the back and led me to her ship.

I walked with her, unsure of what the next few minutes would have in store for us. “I didn't know about the skins. I never would have gotten on this ship if I knew what they were doing. I just needed to escape the Northern Water Tribe. I... caused a riot.”

She laughed, “Your chances for survival are looking up. We have something in common, the North hates me too.” She mentioned casually as we walked across the deck of her ship. I noted that we were heading to what is usually the captain's quarters. I was...conflicted about this.

I looked back at the crew of the Ember Shirshrew, “Are you going to kill them?”

She swung open the door in a graceful arc and replied, “Nah, I'll just sink the ship, but I'll leave them the lifeboats. They'll be able to make it to shore... if they're lucky.”

By the time I was finished my tale, Mashuka had finished her second bottle of wine. She leaned over the table, laughing as she said, “That would be.... unfortunate.” she said mimicking my tone with the Commander. “I can't believe that worked! Those Navy boys are all muscle and no brains.” She stood, swaying from drink rather than the ship. “Serves them right for imprisoning the great and powerful” She did an unsteady bow “Avatar Dao Tsu, Shrimpmonkey extraordinaire!” She finished, flopping back into her chair, still chuckling to herself.

I laughed with her and sat at her table, still with the untouched cup of wine she poured me at the start of my tale. Shumoto slept by my side, somehow ignoring Mashuka's continued boisterous laugh. “Oh Dao Tsu, I'm glad I didn't kill you. You're hilarious, not at all what they said you would be like.”

“I wanted to ask you about that. The people of the North were terrified of my Firebending, even more so when I told them I was the Avatar. Do you know why?”

“Oh sure, we absolutely hate your people!” She said with a laugh. “Our schools are nothing but, 'Don't trust the other nations! They want our possessions! Water is the strongest element! Without water we all die! Earth heads are full of rocks! Fire eyes are full of revenge! Air legs are full of fear!' You get that a lot at a young age. Its one of the reasons I left and never looked back. Best decision of my life.”

It finally made sense. These slogans were not just used by my people and the Air Temples. All the nations used these phrases to describe and degrade the other nations.

She continued, “The Navy is all about the terror of the Fire Nation. The Avatar more so. Ever since the dirt Avatar died, the Water Tribe has been terrified about you coming around. You were supposed to be some insane fire monster that eats children and such. They drill that into your head all the time. It's how they get more ships, more sailors, more money from the tribal elders. By having everyone scared about a war that could happen, they get whatever they want.” She leaned back into her chair and closed her eyes.

It looked like she was finally winding down and had fallen asleep. I moved my chair quietly and gently, trying not to wake her. I was exhausted myself after the twelve hour shift and the brawl, so I just wanted to find a quiet place with Shumoto to get some sleep.

I knocked over a glass and Mashuka awoke from her slumber, reached all the way across the table, turned me around and said, “But you know the worst part of those Navy Waterweasels? Huh? Do ya!?!”

“No!” I blurted out, locked in her grip.

“No women fighters! That's it, no exceptions! Even if I was the greatest Waterbender from the East Glacier! So forget 'em! Let 'em drown in their ancient ways. They don't know what they're missing.” She continued to mumble as she collapsed back into her chair. I waited for her snoring to strike up, gathered Shumoto, and crept out of her quarters, cautious for any more objects I could knock over.

Down in the hold, I found an empty hammock, struggled in with Shumoto and slept like the dead.

The next day Mashuka did not leave her quarters, the first mate told us she was, “Plotting our next raid.” No one questioned it.

The day after that she came out looking fresh as a summer flower. She surveyed the ship nodding at the crew's work. I was scrubbing the deck when her boots came into view.

“So, can you Waterbend at all?” She asked bluntly.

“Nope, never tried. I went try and find a master." I said as I stood up, "It seems I have.” I bowed to her formally.

She backed away with a look of confusion, showing that even the cage of Queen Mashuka could be rattled. “Oh, hold on for a second. Yeah I'm good, but I'm no teacher. I don't know where to even begin with you.”

“I have it on good authority that you are the greatest Waterbender from the East Glacier. Someone of such prowess would not be one to shirk from a challenge.” I said smiling.

She put her face in her hand, “I have to stop drinking so hard after battles.” She straightened up, blocking the sun from my face, “Alright kid, this isn't going to be pretty. If you think you'll survive, lets start training.”

I was excited to learn Waterbending, but if I wanted to stay on the Ice Dagger I would need to become a member of the ship. Mashuka and the crew made it out to be quite a complex ordeal full of pomp and ceremony. They paraded me around the main deck on a chair, made me spar any crew member that challenged me, swung me from the main sail as they cut the rope, dropping me into the sea. At the completion of each trial, the crew erupted into a series of cheers.

After the physical portion of the event, they fitted me with clothes more appropriate for life at sea. I was given a loose white shirt, black pants, and black boots. They tied a blue sash around my waist and a blue bandanna around my head. They then gave me my old clothes to throw overboard, a symbol of leaving your old life behind.

I paused with the bundle, looking down at the abyss. I won't lie, it hurt to part with Wu Lai's robes. At first I though of keeping the clothing hidden. It was my very first gift. As I considered my options I was hit with a moment of realization. This was just cloth. The lessons and memories were the real gift. I dropped them with a smile on my face.

Mashuka herself then threw me into a chair and gave me my tattoo, the knife from their flag. She used her Waterbending to push the ink under my skin. It made the process much quicker and less painful than the traditional needle technique. The completion caused another jubilant round of cheers.

Once the tattoo was completed, things quickly devolved into a raucous party with plenty of songs and wine. Avoiding the wine I found myself in a trace with the songs. Some were a bit, vulgar, but they contained a history of a proud and noble people. The initiation went long into the night until the last person fell into sleep on the deck.

The next day was rough for the entire crew. I was surprised by their continued adeptness at their work, though it was a bit sluggish. I could tell they had practice working in such a state. My Waterbending lessons would wait until Mashuka would re-emerge from her quarters.

My Waterbending training was not the smooth gentle river I had expected. Mashuka was a raging torrent, able to sweep even the sternest off their feet. The Fire Army could take pointers on her ability to command.

Mashuka focused my training on what she used when in battle, Ice Lances, Water Whips, Waterballs for containing people. Her favorite move was to bend huge waves at people, knocking them overboard. I was knocked into the sea more times than I can remember in those first days.

By a month, I was able to make waves powerful enough to propel the ship. That, along with my Airbending cut our travel times by a third which let us charge a premium on certain items that the Ice Dagger traded. Our purses grew as my bending became more powerful.

While we trained, Mashuka gave me an in depth description on what it was like to be raised in the Northern Water Tribe. The North Tribe is steeped in numerous traditions, most of which Mashuka despised.

The Northern Water Tribe refuses to let women train in combat arts in any manner. Female Waterbenders are only allowed to learn healing. They don't even let them learn boat propulsion techniques, as women are forbidden on Naval ships.

Mashuka showed incredible power in Waterbending at a young age, besting any rival with her raw and untrained style. Even with her incredible bending skill, no one would teach her. She took to training herself, despite the dire consequences from both teachers and her family.

Her father was on the tribal council and wanted to have a respectable family. That couldn't happen with Mashuka brawling with boys all day. She did not describe the punishments, but I gathered that they were harsh.

At sixteen, her father announced her arranged marriage to a captain in the Navy. Mashuka told me the man was five feet short, flabby from a life of ease, and one of the worst Waterbenders she had ever seen. She claims he had the bending ability of a baby.

He was the Captain of The Lightning Blizzard, one of the fastest ships in all of the North Navy. As the lead ship in the Battle of Hauteur Island, it scuttled two Fire Navy Ships. It held a special place in the hearts of the Northern Water Tribe. Many considered it to be blessed by the spirit of the ocean. She said that he had no business with command of such a prestigious ship when she herself was forbidden to ever step foot on it.

Mashuka pleaded with her father to spare her a life being married to such an inept and worthless man. Her father would hear none of her arguments, commanding her to obey the ways of their tribe, or be labeled a Mutineer.

Just as the Fire Nation has the Dishonored and the Air Temples have the Outcasts, when you go against the ways of the Water Tribes, you are labeled a Mutineer.

Similar to the Outcasts, they are banished from the Water Tribes, unable to return. Unlike the Outcasts, it is almost always women that receive the label, and usually it is for not obeying their families. Once labeled, the entire family must disown the Mutineer, lest they share the fate.

This is held over the heads of many women who do not accept their place in the Tribe. They share stories of women who, upon going against the tide of the Tribe, are cast out to sea on icebergs, never to return. With such tales, only the brave would choose the life of a Mutineer. People like Mashuka.

On the eve of her wedding, she slipped away, grabbing all she could carry and disappeared into the cold northern night. From speaking to the crew, running out on an arranged marriage was a common reason for many Mutineers.

She relished the title, and wove it into her standard oration she would give as an introduction. Her only regret was leaving her sister, Heme, behind. She loved her more than anyone else in the world, but Heme was sickly as a child, and the trip across the glaciers could have proved fatal to her. Mashuka hugged her one last time as she slept and made her escape.

Her travel from the East Glacier had her fighting off a pack of wild Polar Bear Dogs, braving a blizzard, and fighting an entire band of raiders. At least, that is how Mashuka tells the tale.

The Ice Dagger was in docked at the first city she came to. Mashuka saw that it was completely different from the Navy Ships she had grown up around. The ship had numerous scars in the hull, showing a history of combat and danger. The sails were patchwork and hug about while in port, not navy like at all. The crew had men and women, looking like they had all been in a fight hours before. Fresh bandages and bruises were all over their bodies, yet they laughed and caroused with each other as they went about their work.

It was perfect. The Ice Dagger was a place where Mashuka could make a new life. A life of freedom. She met with the Captain and with a some impressive, if untrained, display of her bending, she was welcomed aboard.

The Captain and crew told her of their mission. It was unlike any other pirate ship on the seas. They sought plunder. They sought riches. They sought to make themselves wealthy by stealing, but even for pirates there is more than one path.

They only attacked the wicked. They would go after other pirates, stopping them from attacking the weak. They would attack smugglers, profiting from the pelts and products of animals who were in danger from over harvesting. They would attack Fire Nation ships who were overstepping their bounds and harassing fisherfolk in Water Tribe territory.

For the Ice Dagger, there was but one mission above all others; Safeguard the weak on the seas.

They did a little trading to keep the sails sewed up and the rigging tight. They would transport precious stones, spices and oils for select clients. It was never a huge amount cargo, but it was always high value to ensure that the trip would be worthwhile.

They taught Mashuka their own style of fighting that focused on Ice Spears, swordplay and ship to ship combat. She was a natural, quickly becoming one of their fiercest warriors. Withing two years she earned the title, First Mate.

It was at this time that the crew met the three Badgersharks. They attacked one morning, tearing through the hull of the ship as if it was made of straw. The pirates tried to seal any hole the animals created with the thickest ice they could bend. Badgershark's teeth are far too strong for any ice to last long.

Mashuka did little while the Badgersharks were attacking. She was resigned to gazing at the nimbleness of such a giant beast. The rest of the crew was too busy trying to not get eaten to attempt to pull her away.

The crew first attacked with bows and arrows. None found their mark. The Waterbenders attacked with an assault of Ice Lances. They ceased bending when they collapsed from exhaustion. The beasts barely slowed their pace. They dropped anything heavy they could find to try and scare the Badgersharks away. This quickened the strikes with the hull disappearing beneath their feet.

The crew was convinced they were going to die, praying for help or mercy to whatever Spirit might be willing to assist. Mashuka broke the chorus of prayers and tears with her high pierced whistle. She called over her shoulder, "Don't worry, I got a plan," then jumped into the water.

Two hours passed with no sign of Maskuka or the Badgersharks. The crew assumed the worst, held a quick funeral, and went about repairing the ship to get underway. Then, from the inky depth of the sea, Mashuka rose out of the water, standing on the back of one of the monstrous Badgersharks.

The dumbfounded crew could only stare at her in amazement. She held out her hands, having the other two animals nuzzle them with their snouts and said, "Looks like we got some new recruits!"

No member of the crew has been brave enough to ask what Mashuka did to earn the respect and loyalty of such great beasts. I was certainly not ready to break that tradition and it remains a mystery which only Mashuka knows the answer.

The Ice Dagger was a powerful force on the oceans. Their crew were seasoned fighters and their ship well built for naval combat. With the addition of the the triplets, there were few who could go against them in pitched battle.

When taking an enemy ship, the Badgersharks would circle the vessel so that the other crew would see them, causing panic on board. If their foes don't surrender immediately, the triplets make liberal use of their numerous teeth on the opposing ship's hull. If the destruction of their ship is not enough, the crew of the Ice Dagger attacks in force. First the archers and Ice Lances pelt the main deck to cause fear from both directions. Once completely terrified, the rest of the Ice Dagger would board the the ship and force the captain to surrender.

It was a ruthlessly effective strategy that served them to subdue far more powerful ships. Even so, they were not invincible. They had lost crew in their quest to keep the ocean safe.

The previous Captain was one of those losses. It was during a fight between the Ice Dagger and another pirate ship that was attacking a fishing vessel. The enemy ship, known as the Torrent, was a captured Bear Whale Galleon, retrofitted for piracy. A more dangerous pirate ship would be hard to come by.

Even against such an enemy, the Ice Dagger refused to back down. There were people in danger and they had their mission. The fight was brutal.

During the fray the Captain was struck down by an Ice lance. Seeing your captain fall in battle can hit a crew hard and it looked like the Ice Dagger itself may fall, but not while Mashuka was still standing.

She took command, barking orders to advance on the enemy. With her telltale bravado she was able to rally the crew and drive off the Torrent and save the Fisherfolk.

With the captain gone, Mashuka was the only choice to lead. No one questioned the position. She had earned the respect of the rest of the crew ten times over and it was a natural fit for her to be captain.

The rest of the crew told stories of their pasts and how they came to be on the Ice Dagger. Many were from the Southern Tribe. They had stories about working for the Bear Whale Trading Company. The BW, as they called it, were just as brutal as the North Tribe, just in a different way.

The BW is the largest company in the world. They employ a huge portion of on the Southern Water Tribe in one way or another. With all the other jobs that such wealth creates, the Southern Tribe is completely reliant on the company. They court the best Waterbenders and the most skilled ship designers to create their flotilla.

Unlike the customs of the Northern Water Tribe, men and women are allowed to hold any job they are best suited towards. Women are even allowed to learn combat arts if they are skilled enough.

If you are in need to transport cargo between the nations, the BW is the only option if you want it safe, and the arrive on time. And the BW knows this. To use their ships to deliver your goods is to be entirely on their terms.

They are given free reign to harvest as much timber from the Southern Tribe lands as can be cut. They are given huge tracts of coastline for their shipyards and docks, and have no trouble navigating any treaty or law that they need to break to make sure their goods are delivered on time. They charge whatever they wish for the safety and security of their flotilla.

The BW made sure that anyone who tried to start their own company was unable to complete any contracts. This meant harassing the ships, harming the crew, or sinking their ships.

The label of Mutineer is still used in the Southern Water Tribe. It is reserved for those who either fail at their job in the BW, or cross them in any way that they deem to be aggressive. Nothing is off the table when it comes to protecting their profits.

Mashuka loved talking about the most recent Water Tribe Avatar. His name was Wakada, and he was a brave young man.

In the Fire Nation, Wakada was seen as an arrogant young man who squandered his powers on his own selfish desires. We were taught he died when the tried to take on and entire pirate fleet by himself in a foolish attempt to display his glory. This was not the case.

Wakada was born of a powerful and much revered Captain in the Northern Water Tribe. It was said that his Father was the bravest man that the Northern Water Tribe had ever seen. Much was expected from his child, more so since he was the Avatar.

It was told that he was quite the natural when it came to fighting. Mashuka told me many legends of his heroism. How he was able to captain a ship through a hurricane at age 10. At 12 he fought off three Unagi without his Waterbending. How he fought off a pirate ship at age 14 with no assistance. He was able to master all the elements at age 15. He was well on his way to becoming one of the most memorable Avatars in recent history.

Fate had other plans.

Every year the Northern Water Tribe has a festival known as The Great Hunt. It is a week long hunting trip where the men of the tribe attempt to kill as many animals as they can. It is an ancient tradition that has roots that go back many generations.

Wakada was part of one such hunting party with his father. It was said that they entered a blizzard, trying to find Polar Bear Dogs and became lost.

They ended up in the realm of an ancient and powerful spirit know as The Cold Man. It is said that his is 50 feet tall, is extremely protective of his lands and does not tolerate any humans that come close to his castle. When you enter his lands, you have little chance to survive.

The survivors said that The Cold Man's army of Spirits was on them before they knew what was happening. Many men were lost in the fray. It was then when his father was injured that Wakada knew what to do. Much like Toza, his eyes started to glow and he unleashed a tremendous display of bending, using all the elements to his full ability. The Spirit army was scattered and retreated.

They said that the it looked like the fight was over, but The Cold Man took matters into his own hands. He lumbered out to meet the Avatar himself. He wielded two massive swords and was covered head to toe in brilliant armor made of the purest ice.

Wakada used his Airbending to rise from the ground and met The Cold Man face to face. They spoke for a minute or two, no one was close enough to hear what was said, but it was clear that the conversation went poorly when The Cold Man attacked Wakada.

The battle raged for hours. Neither the Avatar nor The Cold Man would yield. The men who survived wanted to help, but the ferocity of The Cold Man was something that would have swept them away as if they were a snowflake.

It was near the end of the day when both competitors were beginning to slow. The Cold Man was clearly injured and was barely able to stand. Wakada was wounded and tired, but had the upper hand.

The Cold Man pulled his last card, calling his army back out to the field. This time, it was his full force. They all wore thick armor and held wicked weapons that even the Fire Nation would fear the sight of. Wakada was exhausted, using what little strength he had to keep the force at bay.

In the end, the men had to retreat. Wakada was never seen, but it was clear what happened when the new Avatar was found 5 years later.

The Glory Poem “Wakada's Last Stand” is a favorite around the campfires of the North. Mashuka loves telling it before battles. I recite it to myself when I feel I need to be brave.

During my time on the Ice dagger, only a few ships put up a serious fight. One Fire Navy vessel sticks out in my mind for being particularly aggressive, but nothing we couldn't handle. There was one ship that that I will never forget, a day I will never forget. The day I first took a life.

A ship was spotted that Mashuka said she had encountered before, saying that they were a tough bunch and always smuggling something illegal. The triplets did their normal attack, but the crew would not abandon the ship. The enemy crew fought ferociously, but their numbers were not close to ours. The surrender came as Mashuka captured the captain.

We went about pillaging the ship, looking for what misdeed the ship was hiding. I opened the hold doors and froze, horrified by the contents.

Their human cargo stood chained, filthy and starved. The few that looked up had hollow stares in sunken eyes. Hope was a distant memory in these people. I had never seen brutality like this in my life.

I needed to set these people free. A small flame appeared from my fingers and the captives recoiled. The fear of a Firebender is a well ingrained lesson in the Water Tribes. I spoke in a calm voice that I was there to free them, and that I would protect them with my life.

The prospect of freedom was far more powerful that their fear of my fire. They gathered quickly around me holding their chains, pleading to be released with feeble voices.

One woman touched my hand as the bonds fell away. She spoke is a quite, paper thin tone of how they came to be there. They were from the Northern Water Tribe, looking for a better life than the Navy or the fishing boats. They were told by the captain of this ship that, for a small fee, they would be transported to the Earth Kingdom, where they could farm land and have a better life.

Once they set to sea, the deal changed. The crew gathered everyone in the hold and took all their belongings. They were only left with the clothes on their backs. They were chained to the floor and told that the mines of the Earth Kingdom would only be slightly worse that their current conditions. They were given no food and only a small amount of water to keep them alive. They had been in chains for a week before we had arrived.

My fire grew hot at every detail. I new that if the flame became too intense that I may burn someone. I put my rage away storing it for later. As soon as the last person was free, I Air Jumped out of the hold and landed loudly on the deck.

“Who is the Captain!?!” I yelled, a wild carrying my voice across the deck in a boom.

“This one, right here!” I heard Mashuka yell. Pulling a man off the deck with one hand. He was shorter than I expected, with a scarred face and rough skin. His arms were large and muscular and his barrel chest had a series of tattoos that looked like a series of warnings to anyone who may come to him looking for a fight. He had a smug sneer on his face, which only infuriated me.

“You're in charge of this ship?” I asked, fire appearing in my hands.

“Yeah, that's me.” He sniffed, tilting his chin towards me.

“Care to explain the people in chains?”

“What, them?” he replied, nodding to the now free captives that were emerging from the hold. “Mines need bodies. They wanted jobs. Everyone wins.” He smiled, revealing a crooked gold tooth.

The people erupted.

“You lied to us!”

“Yeah, you said we would be free, not destined for the mines!”

“My mother died in that hold!” came from a voice cut through the others like a razor. I heard the same voice start to weep uncontrollably and he collapsed to the deck in his sorrow.

My eyes filled with fire. “Is this true?”

He shrugged, “Some people aren't cut out for life at sea.”

Shock barely scratches the surface of what I felt. His complete disregard for his misdeeds was unfathomable. I was frozen in my confusion.

Mashuka came to my side, placing her hand on my shoulder. She could tell that I was overcome with anger about the situation.

I eked out, “Mashuka, how many times have you meet this man?”

“This would be the third.”

“How many times has he had this type of cargo?”

“Never. I never thought he would be this barbaric.” She replied with an uncharacteristic disbelief.

I heard a loud commotion, fixing my gaze back to the captain. He had a young woman firmly in a Waterwhip with an icicle at her throat. He had taken advantage of our conversation and recaptured one of the people from the hold, now using her as a hostage.

Hands went to our weapons, and the girl as she began to cry at her situation.

The Captain spoke calmly and confidently, “Now that I have your attention, here's how this is going to go. First, you're going to get those slaves back into the hold. Then you're going to get your filthy pirate boots off my ship and we're going to continue our journey. And just in case you think I'm not serious.” He took his icicle and threw it into the crowd of captives.

He was too fast, too practiced, too ready for the situation. We heard a sickening thud and one of the captives fell to the ground. The rest of the captives scattered away from him, screaming at the sudden attack.

The crew of the Ice Dagger went for iron or ice, ready to fight. My hands fell at my sides at loss of what to do. All I could do was look at the man on the deck. As the life drained from him, I saw the pain and desperation that led him away from home, the hurt that he endured here, and the futility of his death.

He did not deserve this. He only wanted a better life.

I felt my old Fire Army rage come back, but this time it was honed, focused, and at my command. This man needed to be stopped. He would kill every person here before he would have us free any of them. There was one course of action. I went into deep though for a moment, gathering the strength for what I was now forced to do.

The Captain continued, “Unless you want to see more ice, you better get off my ship.”

I looked at Mashuka, who wore a fury on her face I had not seen before, nor since. She had a sword in each hand, shaking the blades with how tightly she clenched the hilts.

“Mashuka.” I growled, my voice sharp as her blade.

She turned to me and we locked eyes. In a whisper, I spoke what I needed from her. She nodded and readied herself.

I said to the Captain, “I think you want to reconsider.”

He chuckled, “I think my first demonstration wasn't good enough for you,” he said as he bent another icicle and readied to throw it. A wall of water swept across the deck as Mashuka pulled the captive cleanly away from the Captain's grasp.

Interrupted, the Captain comprehended his situation and for the first time, I saw fear in his eyes. I gathered an Air Stone and released it toward my foe. The wind flew at him and landed on target. The noise of the impact was as if a great tree had broken in half. The captain fell, never to rise again.

I stared at the man, now lying on the deck with a razor focus. I couldn't take my eyes off him. No thoughts entered my head. The clattering of swords broke my meditation as the rival crew dropped them in a full surrender.

The Ice Dagger crew went back to pillaging. The normal excitement in successfully taking a ship was subdued. No cheering. No jovial conversations. No exuberance that is common after battle.

I stalked to the Ice Dagger, brooding in silence. Down in the hold, I found an empty store room, sat in the corner and began to meditate. I was there for a day and a half, Shumoto at my side, without breaking for food or drink.

At sunset on the second day, Mashuka came to me. “Can't have you too weak to bend,” she said with two bowls of soup balanced in her hands. “We have gems to deliver to the Earth Kingdom and our patrons would never forgive the delay,” she added wryly.

The smell reminded me of my hunger, too long subdued. Shumoto and I gulped down the food, not pausing to chew.

Mashuka sat in front of me, and began to speak softly. “Do you want to talk? Your first time can eat you up inside.” She said, showing her experience.

I sat still, trying to maintain focus, “What happened to the smugglers?”

“We gave them the life boats as usual. It was clear they were considering a career change.” I paused, processing the information. “What happened to the captives?”

Mashuka returned to her former self and replied, “We patched up the ship, gave them a few lessons on how to operate it. It didn't take much since they were mostly fisherfolk. We sent them on their way to a port city in the Earth Kingdom. Not the best place, but with a ship at their command they will be able to make enough coin to get by. At the least, they won't be working the mines.”

Her tone picked up, “Two of them wanted to join the crew, so we got some newbies to break in once you're feeling up to it.” She softly punched me in the shoulder, vainly hoping to break my state.

There was only one question left to ask. I paused, fearing any response I may receive.

“What would you have done with the Captain?” I asked.

She sat quietly for a time, her face rigid and blank. “The same thing you did,” she said as she stood up, “you just beat me to it.” She started to walk away, stopping at the door. “He was a terrible man. He's terrified, tortured, and maimed decent folks under the guise of business. If you had let him walk away, he would be out there, planning another crime against bystanders. You stopped that.” She pointed at me.

It was as if her finger pierced through my very being. I felt powerful and weak at the same time.

“He'll never hurt anyone else. For that, you have my thanks, and the thanks of 56 safe, alive strangers.” She bowed slightly and closed the door.

I continued to look at that door, slowly petting Shumoto, thinking of what I had done. In my time in the store room only was consumed by one thought.

I had taken a life, but I didn't feel guilt at the deed.

I was sad the Captain had taken an evil path, and did not use his second chances to find a better path. I was glad that the man was gone from the world. He was without pity, and those without pity should be shown none. Wu Lai's words were violent, but wise. Upon the realization I found a bunk and slept a restful night's sleep.

My experience with that man taught me a great deal about wickedness. I learned that people need to be given a chance to change their ways. Many I met in my travels were first enemies, but later became friends. Anger and wickedness can change to peace if that person wishes it.

On the other side, allowing the unrepentant evil to continue would be neglecting my duties. As the Avatar, I must protect the weak and the innocent. I will use any method I can to do so. I will do all I can to safeguard all life. Death is a last option, but it will always be an option.

My training continued and I would learn more and more of Waterbending. There were many sparring sessions with the crew as I rose in skill. I would fight one, consistently knock them into the water, then more to the next.

Ten months later, the only person who remained was Mashuka. Weeks went by where I was never dry from the constant deluge. One fateful day, Mashuka fell into the ocean. Then again. Then there came I time where I forgot the taste of the ocean. It was clear it was not luck, but skill that I possessed.

I reveled in the glory and the praise the crew had given me. None more adamant than Mashuka, who said I was the first person to give her a good fight in years. I was joyous, but saddened at the realization that I had nothing left to learn.

It was time to move on. I needed to learn Earthbending.

From earlier encounters, I thought that the overt presence of the Avatar would be counter-productive. Looking through the stores of the Ice Dagger, I was able to scrounge together an Earth Kingdom outfit. I was able to find a green shirt with brown pants and boots. A yellow scarf completed the look.

I let my hair grow out and stowed my glider safely in Mashuka's quarters. An excellent bottle of wine was tied to it. The note attached read "For when you get back, Fireshrimp,"

We had just delivered a shipment of precious stones to the Eastern Air Temple when we set sail for the Earth Kingdom. We arrived at a small port and I readied to disembark with Shumoto.

Mashuka slapped me on the back, knocking out the wind from my lungs. “Well Fireshrimp, it looks like your time on the Ice Dagger has come to an end. I hate to see you go, our profits are going to suffer and I'll probably be forced to feed a few of the crew to the the triplets just to keep them happy." she said, pointing around at the crew as they laughed.

“Then they'll eat well. They've gotten lazy since I came aboard. They'll need to start doing actual work around here with out the old Airmonkey to push all your weight.” I replied.

More chuckling proceeded as some of the crew wiped away tears. The ship set sail, off for some new grand adventure. As they left, Mashuka yelled to me “Send a Messenger Hawk to stay in touch every now and then so we know you aren't dead. But be careful of those Mudsloths, you know that 'Earth heads are full of rocks!'”

“How will I fit in if my head isn't full of rocks, too? And try to show a little mercy to those other pirates every now and then. You know what that the Water Tribes say about the Avatar. I just might enter your dreams and eat your souls!” I replied, making a cartoonishly angry voice.

I heard the crew let out one last laugh before the noise was drained away by the ocean.

Shumoto whimpered as they disappeared over the horizon. “I know girl. I'll miss them too, but we have to leave.”

And with that it was time to enter the Earth Kingdom. A land of mountains and quakes.

 


	6. Book 4: Earth

Book Four – Earth 

 

The Earth Kingdom town we were left off at was one of the most plain things I had ever seen. The buildings were all made of the same stone and dirt. All were the same style of a one story mound of dirt with a bare wooden door. They were laird out in a surgical grid pattern. I had never seen something so uniform.

There were a few merchants with stands selling fresh fish near the harbor. Two Bear Whale galleons were docked, unloading their cargo. More Bear Whale frigates were anchored off the coast, part of the flotilla. There were Earth Kingdom Guards patrolling with regular intervals. Air Nomads were camped on a hill on the outskirts of the city.

I could feel a tightness in the atmosphere that told a story of distrust. The Nomads feared the Bear Whales, the Bear Whales didn't trust the police, the Guards were nervous of the Nomads, and the fisherfolk were too busy looking for thieves to notice anything outside their small slice of the world.

The addition of the Avatar to this situation would only end in chaos. Luckily, my disguise was working and I looked like just another traveler.

I purchased a staff that would serve as a replacement for my glider. I missed its comforting weight the staff. It was nothing elaborate, just a strong walking stick that would serve my defense place of my bending for a time.

With my new disguise in place, I set about looking for an Earthbending master. I knew very little of the Earth Kingdom's geography, and my practical knowledge was limited to only their national defenses and how to break rocks with Firebending.

I began to ask around to the locals on where the best Earthbenders came from. I received mostly shrugs as answers. People here were hesitant to trust anyone, especially an outsider.

By the second day it was clear that I was not going to get an answer easily. I though back to my time in the Fire Army. I thought of where the few places in the Earth Kingdom that I was taught of. One city stuck in my mind. Omashu.

I had been taught a great many things about the Earthbenders from there. That they had a fierce army that would defend their borders from any attacker.

It wasn't much to go on and it was halfway across the continent, but it was all I had. Shumoto and I started walking.

Mashuka was good enough to give me a coin purse of considerable weight cheekily labeled "Back Pay." It reminded me of Mah-Zho in the Fire Nation, and all the deeds I had to repay once I was a full Avatar.

For the first time in my life I had plenty of money and the chance to spend it as I willed. Shumoto and I ate well for those few weeks of leisure. We walked on full bellies and high spirits. I heard bystanders whisper that I was a rich man's son that was running off to see the world, or a lunatic who lost his mind spending his last coins at random. Either way, they did not bother us, and I was happy for that.

Our nights were often spent outside, sleeping under the stars. The ocean is vast and its sky is beautiful, but somehow the sky of the Earth Kingdom seemed larger than I thought possible. In those great plains it feels like it goes on for eternity. At night I would gaze at the stars with Shumoto at my side for hours after the sun went down. We slept well for those weeks.

For once, Shumoto and I had a leisurely trip up. That is until we reached a town on the edge of the Si Wong Desert called Dotum.

The only way to any of the larger cites of the Earth Kingdom was through the desert. This was closest town to the port, so much of the commerce found it's way through its streets.

There were shops selling water skins, sleds, large hats to block the power of the sun. There were a great number of people trading goods they had brought from the other lands.

I purchased some fruit from a stall and asked the shopkeeper how I could get across such dangerous terrain. She told me there was only one sure way to safely cross the Desert, and that was aboard one of the Beetle clan caravans.

The Beetle clan made their living on transportation of goods and people across the Si Wong Desert. They had massive sleds that were designed for cargo or had numerous small portable cabins that were linked like chains. These were pulled by their giant Rhinoceros Beetles from which they get their name.

When the woman saw Shumoto she told me to keep an eye on her during my trip with them through the desert. At the time, I thought she meant that the trip with them would be dangerous and that animals could wander off.

She pointed me in the direction from where the Beetle clans congregate and a caravan was just about to leave. I was able to purchase passage in the caravan and was given a small cabin at the tail end of the troop. It was cramped and smelled of a thousand different things, but it would protect me from the sun and had a bed. I had been in much worse conditions and was comfortable enough.

The trip was slow and hot. Much slower than I thought it would be. We could only travel a few miles each day. Nights in the desert are much colder than I thought they would be, but the Beetle clan was more than prepared for the trip and generously passed around blankets for the evenings. It wasn't until the fifth day that things got interesting.

It was midday and we had stopped for a break. People were out stretching their legs. Water and rice were being passed around to the crew and the passengers. Shumoto was flying about, searching for prey more to her liking than rice.

I started to hear a feint noise. It began as a slight a buzzing sound. The Beetle clansmen went rigid at the tone and dove for the shelter of the cabins on their sleds. The rest of the passengers were left stunned at what to do as the noise grew.

I scanned the horizon looking for what could be causing the noise finding nothing. One of the passengers screamed “Buzzardwasps!”, and pointing up. I squinted my eyes and saw their silhouettes against the brightness of the sun. They had attacked with the sun at their back, masking their approach and giving them the element of surprise.

They were twice the size of Shumoto and with an anger born of the harsh landscape. They attacked anything that moved with jaws and stingers. One came right at me, stinger sharp as any spear I had encountered. Before it could land the strike, Shumoto crashed into the beast's side, knocking it to the ground in a heap.

Shumoto then set her sights on another that was hovering over a woman and child. She sunk her talons into its back and pecked it head until the Buzzardwasp flew off. She dove and soared as quick as I have ever seen her move, tackling bodies, slashing at wings, grabbing legs and swinging Buzzardwasps to the ground. It was an impressive display of her agility.

When the last Buzzardwasp was driven off, Shumoto had barely a scratch on her. She returned to me, looking around at the safe passengers, content with her work and ate her rice. The passengers came rushing over to her, all thanking her for saving them. She nuzzled them and allowed herself to be petted and praised.

Several Beetle clan members emerged from their tents and made their way to Shumoto. They pushed and shoved their way past the passengers saying, “Out of the way! Give the animal some space! It's a hero!”

“No thanks to you! You abandoned us out here during that attack! Someone could have been killed!” I chastised them.

They looked petulant and replied, “We thought you would just follow us. The Buzzardwasps are not a danger taken lightly. We have no real way of fighting them. That is, we didn't until now. Thanks to your pet here...”

“Her name is Shumoto.” I said dryly.

“Yes, thanks to Shumoto here, we are all saved! Lets hear it for Shumoto!” the Beetleman finished, raising his fist in the air. The rest of the people cheered along. Shumoto flapped her wings at all the attention and let out a proud squawk. I let my anger go and joined them. She had earned it, after all.

The next few days were full of praise for Shumoto; the Beetle Clan men gave her the most comfortable pillows they could find, and brought her food and water so that she would not need to rise. I thought nothing of their pampering, but I couldn't help feel that there was some nefarious end to their attention. I was reminded of what the shopkeeper woman had said. About watching Shumoto during this trip.

Days passed and we came upon the Misty Palms Oasis. The caravan used it as a midpoint in the journey and a time for rest and resupply. We had two days before the caravan would resume the journey and had some time to move about the town.

The Beetlemen ran off as soon as we the Rhinoceros Beetles came to halt. They described all manor of activities they would be participating in as they passed. One said something about “Betting at the Pit.” But I could not hear much more before they scampered through an alley.

The town had very little in the way of shops, though it appeared many traders used it as a resting stop to bandy goods before continuing to a new destination. Most of the town was dedicated to housing and other, more rambunctious behaviors. The bar in town was never empty.

Something in that town felt wrong to me. I could shake the talk of the Pit and betting and it made me nervous. It was at that time two of the Beetlemen approached Shumoto and I, smiles on their faces. It was the two that showed the most praise and kindness to Shumoto.

“Come on kid, you can't see the town by just walking by the buildings. You need to go in and experience the Misty Palms Oasis for yourself,” said one of them.

The other chimed in, “Yeah, you have to mingle with people. Otherwise, they're going to think you're weird. You wouldn't want that, would you?”

I replied coldly, “What people think is their business, not mine.”

They retracted, “Whoa there kid, I didn't mean to upset you. I apologize and feel real terrible for it.” He was starting to sound patronizing, “Tell you what, I'll buy you a drink. They got great fruit juices here.” He leaned in and whispered, “They'll throw in a little cactus juice if you ask just right.” he gave a knowing wink.

The other chimed in, “Yeah, I'll watch Shumoto here for you.” He scratched under chin chin. “She and I get along real well, don't we girl?” Shumoto squawked and wagged her tail in agreement.

I rolled my eyes. I didn't want to go with the man, but I felt that it was a good test of my Avatar skills to deal with people I disliked. I agreed, letting Shumoto go with her new friend and followed him to the shop.

I had the shop keeper hold off on the cactus juice, since I had no idea what that was, and ordered a normal fruit drink. I have to admit it was a refreshing departure from such a brutal landscape. The Beetle man asked for the “special drink," and the man added a small cup of clear liquid. We sat and enjoyed our beverages, the Beetle man doing most of the talking.

“Wow, that Shumoto is something.” He said, “Great fighter and all.”

“Yes, she saved my life many times since we met. I trust her more than anyone.”

“Yeah,” he continued, taking a large gulp of his drink and began speaking quickly. “That's an amazing pet you got yourself there. You must have trained her like a mad man to get her to behave so well. I've never been able to get any of my fighting animals to be as fierce. How did you do it? How hard do you discipline her if she makes a mistake?”

I became confused, “Discipline? I wouldn't hurt my friend to make her a better fighter, and what are you talking about, 'fighting animals'?”

He drank more of his green liquid and grinned like a fool, “Oh, you know, Tigerdillos, Platypusbears, Arctic Rams. You can make a boat load of gold if you can get a fierce animal and fight it in The Pit.”

The talk of getting animals to fight each other boiled a rage inside me. It reminded me of my Agni Kai. “Where is The Pit?”, I demanded.

The cactus juice was in full effect and his body relaxed in his chair. “You know, The Pit, it's two blocks down. Lots of animals fight there. I'm sure that Shumoto has probably won a few matches by now. We'll go once I'm done my drink.” He said, lifting the cup to his mouth.

My rage spilled over at his casualness of forcing Shumoto to fight for other people amusement. It took everything I had not to use my bending. I wanted to Airbend him through the roof, but instead, I punched through his cup and into his nose.

He crumpled to the floor unconscious, “You've had enough,” I spat, and ran out the door.

I jumped up a cart and made it to the roof tops, sprinting as fast as I could, looking for The Pit. I heard people cheering and saw some hastily raised torches and sprinted towards it.

When I came to the edge, I saw a dome made out of fencing about fifty feet across and twenty feet high. Bleachers were set up all around the cage with men and women shoulder to shoulder, cheering, yelling, and placing bets. Several men walked the perimeter, taking money and making bets. Inside the ring was much worse, and I feared for Shumoto.

A Snake Lion stood in the ring, the body of a Rockadile lay motionless on the ground. Fresh blood stained the sand surrounding the body. I almost unleashed my bending, but Shumoto's safety had to come first. I readied my staff and began to look for her.

After a moment, a man with a booming voice started to speak, “Alright folks, you saw this Snake Lion best some of the strongest beasts we have! Its strength is that of a Lion Turtle! But can it still prevail over speed and agility?”

“No.” I said fearfully as the blood drained from my face.

“We are going to put it to the test with an exotic creature, all the way from the Fire Nation!”

“NO!” I yelled as I saw her get pushed into the ring.

“Get to your bookies and start placing your bets for our next fight, the murderous Snake Lion versus the lightning quickness of the Eagle Fox!” I saw the fear in Shumoto's eyes as she looked for an escape. She first flew to the ceiling, trying to pull apart the fence to get out. The Snake Lion leapt and swung at her, missing by a considerable distance, but it did nothing to calm her down.

I had jumped from the rooftops and scanned the fence, trying to find a door or weak point that I could pry open and save my friend. I found a door and started to use my staff as a pry bar to break the lock. Within seconds I was set upon by the guards of the Pit.

“Don't let him open the door! We'll have to refund the bets if he interferes with the fight!”

All they cared about was the money. I had tried to keep my bending a secret, but I was far too scared for Shumoto's safety to worry about that. I could feel my palms start to sizzle when I heard a sharp whistle. The men dropped me as soon as they heard it and ran in all directions.

There was a great commotion and I heard, “Stop, you're all under arrest! Do not resist!”

Police began to fill the arena. They Earthbent around people's legs to keep them from running away. Amid the screams, rocks and sand started flying.

In the mayhem, I scrambled to the door. My hand burst into flame and I melted the lock off the door. I sprinted towards the Snake Lion and swung my staff like a club saying, “Pick on someone your own size!”

I whirled around and struck it in the ribs, knocking it back a few feet. It recovered quickly, angrily lunging at me. I ducked, swinging the staff around and hitting it again, landing a blow on its knee. Even though I was landing hits, the creature was tough from years spent fighting. It was not slowing in its assault.

I tried to attack the beast's front leg, but it was able to stomp on my staff and rip it from my hands. It then lunged, pinning me to the ground. It raised its jaws, ready to take my head off, when it stopped and roared upwards in pain. Shumoto had landed on its head and was pulling at its ears, keeping the jaws at bay.

Shumoto's claw-ridden attacks pulled the creature around and off my body. I rose, ready to attack anew. The Snake Lion rolled on its back, forcing Shumoto to fly off and join me on the one side of the cage. We squared off for a moment, sizing each other up.

Just as the final onslaught was to begin, all three of us were encased in rock. I looked left and saw three Earth Police holding us in place. I was relieved. The fight was over and no one got killed.

The police slowly unbent the earth around me and sealed my hands in rock behind my back. They put Shumoto in a net bag and one officer held it over his shoulder. They went over to the Snake Lion and stabbed it with a small needle. It stopped moving a few moments later.

I heard the Police officer let out a sigh of sadness, “Ugh, this is the worst part of busting these rings.”

The second officer said, “Yeah, I hate this too, but you know we can't save 'em when they get like this.”

I nervously asked, “What do you mean?”

He spun around pointing at me, “Put a rock in it kid, you know when beasts fight like this they go feral. We have to put them down, releasing them puts the whole town in danger.”

I was shocked, “You think I was part of this, I just wanted to...”

The policeman near me punched me in the stomach, knocking my down to one knee, “He said put a rock in it! Now we have to put down this thing too.” He shook Shumoto's bag. “Can't take a chance with it going feral.”

I reacted faster than I could think. I jumped with all my might, driving my head into the stomach of the man. He dropped Shumoto's bag and fell to the ground, gasping for breath. I started to flail at Shumoto's bag with my feet, attempting to open it.

The other police saw this and each fired a rock at me, both finding my back. I shrugged off the pain and continued to open the bag. I would not allow Shumoto to get killed. The bag was almost open when two more rocks found their target and I collapsed to one knee. Shumoto was kicking like crazy to try and free her wing. I pulled the bag open and she escaped as two more rocks slammed into my back.

“Shumoto, FLY!” I said as two more rocks struck me. I fell to the ground. “Go! I'll find you later! Just don't get caught!” I pleaded as smaller rocks flew at her. She looked at me in the eyes and reluctantly took flight, escaping the cage.

The police picked me off the ground, “If that thing terrorizes the locals, I'll make sure you get another few years on your sentence. Animal fighting is a serious crime in these parts.”

I didn't care, Shumoto was free and these guards wouldn't be able to tracking her down. I let them throw me into the cart and take me away.

It then hit me, I was going to jail. I was caught, literally inside an animal fighting cage, fighting an animal with my animal. I had no chance of getting out of this.

I was put with a group of other prisoners from The Pit and we were taken across the desert to another town. I saw very little from my window in my cell, just a large ornate courthouse. I worried about Shumoto. Worried that she wouldn't know where to go or how to survive until I got out of prison. I filled my head with these feelings to mask my own fear. Fear of being imprisoned. Fear of a return to a life not unlike the Fire Army. A life I would do anything to escape.

Later the next day they threw me in front of a judge for all of a minute. The trial consisted of a policeman saying where he found me and that I was participating in the animal fighting ring. There were many people before and after me that had a trial that day, so they did their best to expedite the process. They did not take into consideration if people were innocent or not.

I was given a moment to defend myself, which I was able to get out three words. The bruises from all the rocks hitting me had become much worse over night and left me understandably weak and unable to speak with much more than grunts.

The judge sentenced me to five years in Yin Won Prison without as much as a second thought. My only piece of luck was that they assumed that I was a non-bender, since I didn't use any Bending in the fight with the Snake Lion. I was whisked away and thrown into a carriage with several other prisoners.

The trip to the prison took less than a day. My time was spent trying to plan my escape. There was no way that I would spend five years in prison.

There was also Shumoto to think about. We had been together for so long I was worried that she would not be able to be without me. Not that she would starve to death, but I know that loneliness can hurt worse than any hunger pain.

I knew that I would be able to Airbend my way out of of any prison with an open area, I would be able to Firebend my way out of any metal prison with enough time, or I would be able to Waterbend my out of any island prison. I thought I was ready for any prison they would throw me in. I was wrong.

They put me in a prison made for non-benders, which might sound good at first, but this place was designed especially for people that could not Earthbend. They led us into a mine, Earthbending thick doors behind the main shaft. Small holes were drilled in the roof that lead to the surface, making sure we had fresh air. They were the size of a finger, ensuring that no one could escape through them.

We met the Warden upon arrival. He was a stout man with a wide belly. Despite being underground with dirt everywhere his clothes were perfectly clean and shone from the torches.

“Thank you for your crimes.” He said with viscous smile and did a pandering bow. “Were it not for your transgressions you would not find yourselves in my prison. Your foolishness with not go unrewarded here. We have some of the finest ore in the Earth Kingdom and you will have the chance to redeem yourself to our Earth King. The sweat off your backs will fuel our glorious army with spears and armor.”

I was still weak from my beating, but I was able to get out. “No, I'll never...” before I was struck with yet another rock in the stomach. The Warden, though showing the signs of an easy life, was not unskilled at Earthbending.

“How dare you!” his eyes boiled with rage, “You who would go against the Earth King! I should declare you Dissident for such actions!” He pulled another two rocks from the wall. “And let this be a lesson anyone else that thinks they can go against my will!” The two rocks landed and I blacked out.

I awoke in agony. My clothes were gone, replaced by a brown shirt and brown pants. I looked for shoes, finding nothing. I sat up with great struggle and found myself in a small cell made entirely of rock. I as I was there, I had a moment of realization.

I was back where I started. Imprisoned against my will, with no hope of escape. It was as if I had made no progress from where I was all those years ago.

I felt a despair that I had never thought possible. The thought of escape was the only thing that brought me out. I had no water as the toilet was just a hole. I tried to use the same Firebending method I had done when breaking through chains to burn through the door, but it only made the rock black. Airbending was even more useless.

Any grand display like an Air Stone or Fire Blast and the guards would come running. I assumed they would all be Earthbenders and given were were underground, I doubted my ability to win the fight.

I fell back into despair. I was only roused from my mental state when the guard Earthbent open my door. It was time to work.

The mining they had us do was grueling. At the beginning of my first shift I was given a stick with a raw chunk of ore at the end to dig through the mine. It was barely able to complete the task. No shovels were provided and we were forced to carry rocks great distances to move them about. The knowledge that any ore we pulled would go to the military made the task hard on my soul as well as my back.

We worked the mines in eighteen hour shifts with a break in the middle for a quick meal, then have eight hours to eat another meal and sleep. From what I was told, the conditions were much worse a few years ago. I can't imagine how anyone could have survived it.

Most of the prisoners I spoke to were there for petty crimes. Some there for such things as not being able to pay back a three silver piece debt. Non-benders were being abused in the Earth Kingdom for their manual labor, just as they had in the Air Nation. Only this was a much harder hand that guided the injustice.

Two weeks after I arrived, a man entered the cafeteria on a meal break. There was much jubilation when he walked into mess hall. He was a short man, not much taller than myself. He had a slight build, without much muscle to speak of. One of his legs was amputated, having a stone stump that replaced it.

He was dirty and looked extremely tired, but responded in good cheer when he was greeted by the other prisoners. He shook every hand that came to him.

“Alright, I promise I will address all your concerns. Form a line and get me some charcoal and something to write on. I will address everyone's issues as best I can. Also, start piling up your picks and I will repair them. In the next few days we are getting a forge!” Cheering from the prisoners erupted. “I have a new mixture that I have been working on to make our picks stronger than ever!” More cheering came from the prisoners.

At the time, I was very confused. These people were so excited about having picks when they should have been trying to escape. These people were unjustly imprisoned and this man only wanted to make the mine more productive. I did not see this man as the wise leader that the others did. I saw this man as a pawn of the prison. Someone who wanted to get more ore out of the mines for the Earth Kingdom's war machines. He disgusted me.

I asked the other prisoners who he was. They told me his name, Potim, and spoke about him like he was a sage. They told stories about how he designed and built many amazing things for the Earth Kingdom. They claimed he was a noble of high birth and excellent schooling.

His current imprisonment gave me doubts.

Potim disappeared a few more times, each time coming back with a few more paltry gifts for the prisoners. A pulley system for carts to move the ore around, more torches to better see in the mines, more wood to make the roofs stronger. Small things that seemed important to the prisoners, but only were good to increase the ore production.

The more I saw Potim, the more disdain I held. After two months, I couldn't stand the sight him. I had to confront him. Maybe if I could tell him what he was doing, he would see the error of his ways. After all, I am the Avatar.

I finally decided to take Potim up on his offer to come to him with any problems. He was sitting in the mass hall, eating his bowl of Jook. “Potim, I am Dao Tsu. You said you would listen to any problem that any prisoner has, right?”

“Absolutely, tell me what is bothering you and I will do my best to help.”

“I want you to stop helping the mine.” I said plainly

He looked confused, “I beg your pardon?”

I became more stern, “All you do here is help the mine make more ore for the Earth Kingdom's Army. You need stop being the pawn of the Warden and his guards.”

He leaned back in his seat with a little smile, “I'll tell you what. Come to my cell later. We can sit down and talk. Does that sound fair?”

I became skeptical but agreed to his meeting and met him at his cell. I thought his room would be much more extravagant that what I was used to. True, it was larger, but there was no luxury in his room. He had plans and scrolls piled up to the ceiling. He had cups of charcoal everywhere, and used it to write everything flat. His walls were covered with designs for buildings and machines. Behind him was a complex series of tubes that bubbled and steamed.

He sat on his bed, smiling slightly at my wonder of his room. He asked me to sit on a stool that he had at his work table. I agreed and waited to see what he had to say.

He began, “So, you think I am here just to make the mine more efficient?”

I nodded.

“And you think that I only want to get more ore out of the mine, possibly because I profit from it, is that right?”

I nodded again.

He shook his head and let out a sigh, “I've had this happen a few times. You see someone like myself running around and talking with all the guards and the warden, making friends with people that love to knock your head around on a consistent basis, so you see me as the worst of the group.”

I nodded one more time, getting angry at his tone.

“I can assure you that you are mistaken.” he said, waiving his hand dismissively, “There are reasons to my actions, if you would care to listen. Please, have some water and calm yourself for it is a long story.”

He spoke like someone born high, schooled well, and groomed for a life spent among royals. His demeanor and confidence soother the edges of my temper. I could see why the other prisoners looked up to him.

He began, “Yin Won is truly a perfect prison. There is no way to escape in our current state. Believe me, I've tried every possible option and each has come back with fruitless results. Certainly, I could escape, but to leave the other prisoners behind is unacceptable. The only way to get us all out is use Earthbending, and the only Earthbenders here are the guards.

“As such, my only option is to do everything I can to safeguard the prisoners from the warden and the guards. I do this with my talent for design. When I go into hiding, I'm designing things for the warden's home, or for other royals.

"As you know, people of the Earth Kingdom have a love for large structures. I design expansions, new homes, fountains, monuments, and other items of extravagance that the Royals and officials have come to expect from me. In turn, they gift us with items for the prison and prisoners.

“The forge we received came at the cost of a fountain that spewed water and fire, but now I can make proper picks that don't break so easy. The ore comes out in half the time now and we are much safer against a pick shattering and injuring someone. The carts and the rail system? I received those for designing a guest house in the warden's backyard that had its own underground aquarium. Now we can move the ore much easier and is saves our backs from the stress and our feet from dropping the rocks. I had a small fortune from working Ba Sing Se and traded the whole thing to change our work day from 24 to 18 hours. People do not collapse nearly as much as they used to. No one has worked themselves to death since I was able to change the schedule. I saw the roof cave in one too many times, which eventually took the life one younger than you, so I designed a bathroom for an Earth Nation official that not only had its own wall garden that had five different types of fire lilies, but also had it's own watering system built into the structure. For that, we were given a not insignificant amount of lumber to sure up the stone buttresses. The extra food rations were were gifted? That came at the expense of a new kitchen for the one of the Earth Royals that uses lava to heat the stove for quicker cooking times. It is a true masterpiece or engineering. The design is just behind you if you wish to take a look. Seeing the ore get pulled from this mine, only to be used in making war machines for my Earth Kingdom gives me no happiness. It turns my stomach if I am to be honest. My Earth Kingdom should be above such wants.”

He spoke quickly and decisively, hardly stopping to breath. He had a gift for oration.

“All this boils down to one thing. Unless we get an Earthbender on our side, there is no escape. I am unable to sit and do nothing when I see my fellow prisoners suffer. You can think what you like about me, you might even hate me for what I am doing. Regardless of all that, without my actions, many of these prisoners would not be here and all would be suffering.”

His words rang true in my ears and I knew that I had met a good man. I didn't know if he was going to begin again so I just sat in silence for a while.

Noticing my stoic response, Potim snapped from his monologue, “Oh, I'm sorry about that, I tend to ramble when people question my ethics. Well, that and I like to brag about my inventions. Do you have any other questions?” He said with a kindness in his voice.

“You need an Earthbender, right?” I asked.

He rolled his eyes, “Yes, and do not think you can bribe a guard to get you out. I didn't think the cost would be so high for just one guard. They pay them very well here. Much better than I anticipated. You see the thing is...”

I rose from my chair, knowing that I could trust this man and that I had to inform him before he got going again, “Well you are in luck, I'm the Avatar.”

He paused for the briefest of moments, “That's amazing!” he yelled as he rose in joy.

I then shrunk back into my chair, “But I can't Earthbend.”

His arms fell, “That's not as amazing.” he said and he sat back down. He looked at me with a little disbelief in is eyes. “Are you really the Avatar, or are you just pulling my fake leg?”

Thought I was exhausted I was able to muster a small ball of fire in one hand and a small tornado in the other.

Potim exploded with excitement. “I cannot believe the Avatar is in my prison cell! It is such an honor to meet you!” He bowed over and over again in Earth Kingdom style. “How did you find yourself in prison?”

I began my long tale. It was hard at times to relive my years full of freedom, but I was able to finish it without shedding tears.

Potim sat, hanging on every word. “That's quite the adventure you had, I'm sorry that you were imprisoned falsely. It's a common fate in our world. You were wise to conceal yourself. If the Earth King knew you were here he would take it as an act of war against the Fire Nation,” His eyes went wide, “and that war would be a cataclysm for all.”

He leaned back on his bed and sadness crept into his eyes. “My Earth Kingdom has done terrible things for the pursuit of military might. I thought that I would be able to changes things from the inside, but I was unable to do much more than feed an already hungry beast.”

His eyes went to his candle, noting how low it had become. “Oh! We have little time before the next shift, you should get some sleep. The guards do not take kindly to laziness when there is a quota to meet. We will talk more when the time is right, but there is at least one thing we can do before turning in.”

He turned to the pipes behind him for a few moments and poured a clear liquid into two stone cups. He turned, offering one cup to me. “We can have a little celebration to commemorate this most auspicious occasion.” He raised his cup “To the Avatar!” he said as he drank down his cup.

I smelled the cup and lost a few nose hairs to the vapors, making me reluctant to drink. “Oh please, Dao Tsu, don't force me to toast alone. They say it is a curse if you do so.” he said, chastising me.

Reluctantly, I tipped my head back and poured the liquid down my throat. It was like drinking fire. I started coughing and attempted to stop, failing completely.

Potim laughed, “Oh no! This was your first real drink? I offer a thousand apologies!” he continued, trying to choke back his laughter.

My coughing eventually subsided and I started to feel very sleepy. Potim put my arm around his shoulder and led me to my cell. I don't remember much more than that other than pain. I slept for a day afterward. I had heard that Potim traded much of the Liquid Fire he had produced to keep the guards from waking me. It was another debt of kindness to repay.

I knew that any absence on my part would mean the rest of the prisoners would need to dig even harder to reach the quota. My next week I can't think of a time I did more physical labor.

Not meeting the quotas that the Warden had set was met with harsh consequences, the other prisoners recounted their experiences. The beatings were ruthless and through. There was little we could do to defend ourselves from a trained Earthbender while underground. Potim had seen all these abuses and was unable to remain unmoved.

Sure, he could have done nothing and simply served his sentence, but he didn't. He could have used his vast wealth to secure a comfortable life in the prison, but he used it secure a better life for the prisoners here. The conditions here were truly terrible, and that was after Potim had made all his progress.

He was an intriguing man, and was more than forthcoming about his history. We spoke about his childhood in the Earth Kingdom during the games of Pai Sho that we were able to get in during our meals.

He was raised by good parents, both having high level government positions. He wanted for nothing, a phrase I hadn't heard in my travels. Potim was placed in a prestigious school. Many young Earth citizens from wealthy families went to these types of schools. There was much expected from them in such a place.

The classes were arduous. Potim said it was to find the children's talents. They would drill them with the most difficult lessons in every subject possible. It was an attempt to find where they excelled. Failure was almost encouraged, as it was one less thing to try and teach the children.

Potim showed a penchant for design. He was able to come up with buildings that no one ever could have imagined. The Earth Kingdom prided itself on its monolithic structures. Anyone who could build larger and grander structures was rewarded with high honers and higher piles of gold.

He was taken to a special school, just for architects. He spent the next few years learning everything about construction. Rock density, proper anchor points, wood breaking points, and many other terms that I couldn't understand.

The school was not without your standard line of propaganda. They were also told that, “Earth is the strongest element! Without Earth we have not homes! Fire gets smothered! Air gets blocked! Water gets dammed!” Themes I had come to expect from the schools. Nowhere is safe from the superiority complex that covers this world.

Potim told me of the previous Earth Kingdom Avatar, Buga. Her's is a tale of bravery and tragedy, a common story for the Avatar.

The Fire Nation had very little to say about Buga. She died so young that they couldn't begin to build a fiction about her life.

She was born of a member of the Council of Five, the head generals of the Earth King himself. Potim says he still has a friend or two among their ranks. The Council of Five are some of the most influential members of the Earth Kings inner circle since they advise him on all military matters. To have the Avatar as your daughter brought Buga's father new glory and status, second to only Earth Prince Gao.

Buga was as stubborn as the Earth that she bent. Most say she was not born, but emerged from a boulder as a baby. She showed exception ability when it came to Earthbending. It was said that at 9, she was able to flatten mountains in a day. She created the artificial rivers and lakes that surround Ba Sing Se so that the people could have easier access to water.

Potim is always so reverential when he spoke of Buga. He was still in school while she was the Avatar. He he learned a great deal from watching her Earthbend those massive structures.

Buga enjoyed her titles and was more than happy to receive the praise for her accomplishments. Potim said they threw a parade every month for her construction efforts. She certainly deserved them since her works are instrumental for the betterment of the the people of Ba Sing Se. She was able to alleviate much off the current suffering of many of her people.

He said that Buga did not take to the other elements as quickly. With her ever-mounting creations, the royals of the Earth kingdom were not keen on letting her explore the world to master the other elements.

Buga was more happy to stay in Ba Sing Se, ever stalwart in her ways. Even being the Avatar would not budge Buga from the path she chose. Had she been able to fully realize her powers, she may have been able to live a longer life.

Potim remembers every detail of the day she died. He awoke early in the morning to a great rumbling. He looked out his window and saw buildings starting to crack and crumble. Earthbenders everywhere were panicking, attempting to keep the buildings from falling down.

After a few minutes it seemed that Ba Sing Se would shake apart. It was as if the entire Earth Nation was splitting in two. At once, all the shaking stopped. People waited, nervous about it starting again, but it never happened. Potim shed tears when he told me why.

Buga had been outside Ba Sing Se with her father when the quake had started. She was taking a morning walk when the earth split in two right before her. She plunged her hands into the ground to try and bend the earth back together. She had little effect.

The fissure continued to spread and was headed towards Ba Sing Se. She tried with all her might to slow it's pace to no avail. If she wanted to stop this quake, she would need to bend it at the source. Deep inside the fissure.

She hugged her father and before he could stop her, she dove into the crevasse. The rumbling stopped and the earth pulled itself back together.

That was the day I was born.

The stories of her bravery gave Potim the inspiration to make the world better. He dedicated the rest of his life to its pursuit.

By fifteen, Potim had already created designs for new more massive towers for the current wall of Ba Sing Se. During the construction, he saw the peasants and how little space they had, even in such a large city. He saw that their living quarters were cramped, dirty, and full of disease. Living such a sheltered life, he never saw how those less fortunate lived. It gave him a great sadness that he says follows him to this day.

He wanted to help the common people as much as he could. He new that a large scale construction project would be the best way to provide good jobs and wages. They also needed more land for people to be allowed to settle. More land would mean less disease and more food that they could grow for themselves to avoid paying for the high priced Air Nomad imports.

The only option was to make a bigger city. Ba Sing Se had the largest walls ever built. Why not make them even grander? He started designing a new set of walls. Walls that would double the size of the city to encompass the surrounding farm land and then some.

When he showed his designs to Earth King Rubo, he was so impressed that Potim was named Grand Architect, the lead designer for all royal construction projects. It was a title that came with vast wealth and honor. He only answered to Rubo himself and was allowed to create as many jobs as he saw fit for the work they were doing.

The walls would be the largest construction project ever undertaken. It would take at least a thousand people to complete, would be the grand monolith to the glory of the Earth Kingdom, while protecting the common people and keeping them safe. Whenever Potim spoke about The Wall, you could see the pride in his eyes.

Even though he was given almost everything he asked for, he still fought for his workers. He wrote petitions to the King asking for higher wages and better working conditions. He would orate his concerns anytime he was giving updates to any officials. After a few weeks, the council responded by increasing his pay to try and keep him quiet.

This usually worked for other officials. Potim responded by dividing up most of his salary among the workers. This resulted in the most efficient building team the Earth Kingdom had ever seen.

Things were moving along well when Potim encountered an official who was an advisor to King Rubo. His name was Qin Lo, and he came to Potim and told him a new project that he wanted to have Potim work on. There were representatives from the Bear Whale Trading Company coming and they wanted to have a new port on the east coast with which to greet them.

Potim told him that we would need another month to properly dig the port out and a week after that to complete construction on the dock itself. He also didn't have the extra people to pull off the wall, so it would take another month to even start breaking ground.

Qin Lo gave him a week, Potim laughed and told him it couldn't be done. The official said he would be in trouble if he did not complete it on time, which Potim laughed again. He did not care if he was in trouble, he just wanted to do good work an help his people. The official eventually backed down and it was not mentioned again. Being the Grand Architect had its advantages, but it turned out that Qin Lo would take this as a insult lightly.

The remaining years working on The Wall went by with little hazard. Potim put worker safety above most other concerns and there was rarely an issue that wasn't easily rectified. Though, I think this is where he lost his leg. He would rub his stump as he spoke about the building of The Wall. He never spoke about it, and I was not one to press.

They were nearing completion on the wall when Qin Lo once again came to Potim. He told him they needed to install six catapults on the top of the wall by the main entrance. Envoys from the Fire Nation were coming and they wanted to have a show of force to intimidate the Royals.

Potim told him that there was no way he would do it. First, they would need more time to make sure the catapults were safely raised. They would not be able to construct the weapons on top of the wall due to the immense size they asked for, so they would need to be raised fully constructed. Without the proper safeguards, the Earthbenders would have to do all the lifting. They would be in considerable danger if the slightest mistake were to be made.

To Potim, they were meaningless weapons. The catapults would be just as effective behind the wall as on top. More so since they would have the wall to protect them. Putting them on top would make them easy targets for enemy artillery The only point of them would be to intimidate your enemy. If The Wall didn't do that in the first place, he argued, nothing would.

Potim gave Qin Lo these reasons and more, but the official would not budge. Qin Lo had been plotting this for a considerable amount of time. He was trying to make Potim loose face by bowing to his demands. Qin Lo ordered him to install the weapons or he would be sent to jail.

Potim again laughed and demanded to have court with Rubo, bringing a smile to Qin Lo's face. He handed him a writ with the seal of the Earth King describing exactly what Qin Lo told him.

Potim studied it, saw it's authenticity, grabbed all his schematics, plans, and technical drawings, threw them into a brazier, and put his hands on his head.

Qin Lo was shocked. No one would ever have thought that Potim was so dedicated to his people. Certainly not enough to sacrifice his entire life and his station in the kingdom.

During his sentencing, he demanded to be sent to a normal prison. He had seen that certain people of wealth were sent to separate prisons from peasants. They were much nicer and conditions could be made like that of the outside world given enough gold. Potim had no intention of serving his sentence in such a place. The judge sent him to 40 years of hard labor for defying the Earth King.

Qin Lo made sure that he was labeled Dissident, which is much more than any standard punishment. In the Earth Kingdom, when you are a Dissident, your name is expunged from all records. All of his buildings, the records of his work on The Wall, every drawing and schematic that he ever wrote his name on had it removed.

That is the true punishment of being labeled a Dissident. You are forgotten to the world. It is as if you never existed. For Potim, it was hard, but he bore the punishment all the same. He would say, “For the preservation off my Earth Kingdom, no cost is too great.”

That is how he arrived in this prison. His care for others was more powerful than the care for himself. He was, and is, a good man.

When he got to Yin Wong, after hearing from the other prisoners and their problems, he knew that he could not stop trying to make their lives better.

These people did not deserve to be there. Sure, some have done some bad things, but nothing that would have justified the hard labor that we did here every day. I knew that I needed to help, and my only chance was to learn Earthbending.

I did everything I could to try and figure out Earthbending on my own. I would punch the walls until my knuckles bled, stomp until be feet were blue with bruises, but I could not get one rock to move. There is a strange feeling when you know you are able to do something, but cannot. The ability to Earthbend was inside me, but I could not unlock it. It was an infuriating experience.

The other elements came easily to me. Fire flowed from my arms and legs. The freedom of air is something that I had relished for years. The oceans of the world called to me while I was aboard the Ice Dagger. Earth wouldn't budge, and I felt trapped.

I spoke to Potim about the walls I was facing during our weekly Pai Sho game. He gave me some advice.

“Listen Dao Tsu, I have had the privilege of meeting a great many Earthbenders in my time, and the truly gifted ones always fueled their bending with their emotion. They understood earth and this is why they can call it to their whims. I believe that this is your downfall."

I listlessly nudged a Pai Sho tile as I listened.

“For years, you have been completely free. Ever since you escaped the Fire Army and left Mah-Zho's home, you have made it your task, your purpose if you will, to be unburdened by walls. Wandering the Fire Nation with Shumoto, soaring the skies with Wu Lai, sailing the vast seas aboard the Ice Dagger. When you had your way, you chose freedom over comfort, safety, and reason. The longest you ever spent inside a building was when you were imprisoned in the Northern Water Tribe. How long were you there? Perhaps half a day at most?”

Just hearing him say those things made me long for those better times. Those times with Shumoto. Not a day went by that I didn't think of her. She was my closest and dearest friend, and she was out in the world without me. She was free, and I was trapped. I began to cry. Potim put his hand on my shoulder.

“I know it hurts, but there is a point to all this.” He knelt down to meet my eyes. “Your other forms of bending were fueled by your freedom. The other elements are extensions of that feeling, but Earth can't be fueled by that. Earth is solid. Rocks do not know freedom. In fact, freedom is the most alien thing a boulder could experience. You must become rooted if you want to Earthbend.”

“Even here, you are restless. There is barely a moment when you are awake that you sit still. I can hear you pacing in your cell when you have trouble sleeping. When you work, you do a great deal to move as much as possible. You are almost physically unable to become still.

“You must become like Earth if you wish to understand Earth. You must think like Earth to bend it to your will. I am reminded of an old saying from my parents. When in a volcano, learn from heat. When in a cloud, learn from wind. When in the ocean, learn from waves. When in a cave, learn from rock.

“Each of these places teach about their true purpose. You must learn from that which surrounds you to better understand the world at large. To close yourself to its knowledge is to loose out on important lessons.”

I went back to my room, Potim's words my head. Waves or realization washed over me. I had spent my entire time in prison thinking about my previous life of open skies, roads and oceans. That would do me no good here. This was the not the mountains of the Air Nation, nor the oceans of the Water Tribe.

This was the Earth Kingdom, and here I must set myself to where I am. I must become part of this world, just as I have the others.

During my working hours, I was study every type of earth that I would dig through. I would roll it in may hands, noticing the fine differences in the strata.

The time in my cell was spent meditating. I would clear my mind and opened it to the rock around me. After a month, I could feel the walls around me. I could feel their age and power. A few weeks later, I could sense where stress point were located and where the rocks changed from one type to another.

I was ready. I reached out with my hands, I felt the Earth bend to my will, I pulled, and a portion of the door the size of a melon came to me. I yelled in joy. I hovered the rock in my hands, gazing at what I had accomplished, in disbelief that I had learned Earthbending without an Earthbender.

I had all the elements at my fingertips. I could call on Fire, Air, Water, and Earth. No matter how many times I said it, it was never truer than that moment. I was the Avatar.

Now all I had to do was worry about escaping a prison full of Earthbenders with years more experience than I had. Suddenly, I felt very weak.

I showed my Earthbending to Potim, who in turned tried to give me more of his liquid fire. This time, I was able to pour out before he could see and I was spared another catastrophic morning.

I told him of my plans, to bend a tunnel big enough for everyone to escape.

“Its a great idea, but all you can do now is move a few rocks around.” He sat down on his bed. “To bend a tunnel that would serve our purposes in the short window that you would have to avoid alerting the guards is a feat that only a fully actualized Avatar could do. Any hesitation and the guards would be alerted. Since you are of the Fire Nation, it would take little time for them to realize that you are the Avatar. The ensuing fight would be dangerous for all parties. A lot of people could get killed.” He said with sadness.

“OK, then what should I do? I can't just leave you here.”

He took a moments pause studying his drink and replied, “That is exactly what you are going to do.” A long pause came after he said that. I didn't know what to say. I stood up, unable to accept his statement. As usual, Potim started talking before I could get a word in.

“I know you want to get me out of here, but I can't leave when there are prisoners to think about. Without me, this place will turn back to a brutal and ruthless machine. For now, you must leave me here.” He took a sip of liquid fire, pausing to think for but a moment and then started again.

“I have come up with a plan. Firstly, you are going to free yourself from this terrible prison. Next, you will tract down and have a tearful reunion with Shumoto, you have earned it. Then, you shall master Earthbending, which may take a year or two, but I will be safe here. Then you will return to Yin Won as it's savior, and free we who are imprisoned here. As you know, most of us are wrongfully imprisoned, and anyone here who is authentically guilty of our crimes has paid their debt tenfold and deserves release. Lastly, you will seal this awful place up so tight they'll never be able to put another prison here with which to abuse the citizens of the Earth Kingdom.” he took another sip of his liquid fire. “Preferably in that order. And it you decide to change up the list, do not move the last item to the front of the line. That would be unpleasant.”

I chuckled. Again, Potim was right. He was always right. I spent the next week practicing Earthbending, working expanding the air hole above my cell so that I could climb through. I was ready for my escape. Guards patrolled the halls at night, so I had to be quick and quiet. Once one passed I opened the hole and began to climb, bending the hole back to its original size as I ascended. I always wondered what explanation they would give to how I escaped.

I burst through the last few feet of earth and gazed at the sky. It was a clear night. The air was crisp and clean. I could hear animals scurrying about, birds flying in the sky, a stream nearby splashing calmly. I had been imprisoned for almost a year and I felt the need to remind myself of my previous powers.

I summoned the elements to my will. I felt the air circle around my feet and I lifted off the ground. I felt a stream nearby and called the water to me with my left hand, commanding hundreds of gallons circle around me. I pulled a boulder the size of a Polar Bear Dog off the ground with my right hand, lifting it high above me, splitting it into four pieces with circle along with the water. I roared, gathering my Breath for the first time in months and breathed fire high into the sky.

I felt the power of the Avatar course through my veins. I lowered to the ground and began walking. My long journey to become the Avatar had come to an end. My even longer journey to try and bring balance to the world had just begun.

 


	7. Epilogue: The End of the Beginning

Epilogue: The End of the Beginning

 

I began walking, not really knowing where I was going, but I felt pulled in one direction in particular. I found myself in a vast swamp full with all manner of strange creatures and plants. I was compelled to find my way towards its center.

I came to the very center of the swamp, and found my unconscious destination. The enormous Banyan Grove Tree towered above me hundreds of feet thick and high. I sat beneath its magnificent branches and began to meditate. I felt the age and power of it's spiritual energy fill my every being and visions filled my head.

I saw myself as an Earthbender, raising a mountain to block my enemies. A brief blur and I was a Waterbender, creating a tidal wave to quench a forest fire. A flash, and I was an Airbender, riding on a massive tornado.

I saw all my previous lives, seeing their strengths, weaknesses, trials, tribulations. I saw them fall in love, fall out of love, fall in combat.

I saw myself, a massive spiritual image who beckoned me to draw near. The being placed it's fingers to my head and I felt a rush of spiritual power flow through my body.

I awoke, and I was able to access my previous lives and draw on their strength, growing my power to incredible lengths. With this new power, I would be able to begin my quest for balance.

My first next stop would be the Ice Dagger. I needed my glider and I hoped that if Shumoto would go anywhere, she would go there. I found a small port city and sent a Messenger Hawk to every port I could think of to get word to Mashuka to come pick me up.

When the Ice Dagger pulled into harbor, Shumoto launched off the deck and flew straight at me, colliding with tears in both out eyes. The crew exploded out in similar fashion and it was the happiest moment of my life. Shumoto did not leave my side for a second for many weeks later.

I spent some time with Mashuka and the crew, sharing what I had been through. They told that a series of pirates and smugglers joined forces to make a flotilla and that had been terrorizing fisherman and others. They were called the North Sea Serpents. The Ice Dagger sank two of their ships, but still had a dozen or so ships left in their fleet. With only the Ice Dagger to resist, they were too strong to take on directly. I knew that there was much work to be done.

Shumoto and I spent the next few years traveling even more, trying to find conflicts that needed to be resolved. There was no longer a need to hide my identity, and I was glad for people to know that I was there to try and restore balance.

We spent some time back in the Fire Nation, learning of the strife that my people had. I wanted to free Shozuma, my first real teacher, but her prison was too well guarded for anything other than a frontal assault. I could not act against the Fire Nation without becoming an enemy for life. She remains a prisoner, much to my sadness.

I visited Mah-Zho, still working at her shop. We had a tearful reunion, giving me the best meal we had in years. I had a few interactions with some of the Triad gangs, trying to get their strangle hold off the peasants. I beat a few up, put a few others in jail, but they are tenacious and crafty. They still dot the Capitol, making profit where they can.

I returned to the mountains where I first met Wu Lai. He was still there wandering and fighting. He had a few more scars, but unchanged in his conviction. The peasants were still being taken advantage of and bandits attacked the Temples when they felt strong enough. Wu Lai said he fought and killed a bandit chief, seriously disrupting their ability to organize, but a new chief took his place.

A woman named Raha, a powerful Sandbender, was able to bring many of the bandits under her control, calling themselves The Yuga Clan. They struck quickly and ruthlessly, making them difficult to track. Wu Lai stood as one of the only people who could go against them in a pitched battle, so they did their best to avoid him. I wanted to help him, but the Avatar cannot linger for too long in one place.

With my new power, it was time to return to the Earth Kingdom. I made good on my promise to Potim and the other prisoners and returned to Yin Won Prison. I faked an earthquake, which caused the guards and the Warden to abandon the caves. They left at the slightest rumble, true cowards.

Once they were out of sight, I Earthbent open the cells and the prisoners spilled out a glorious river of freedom. Potim and I gathered as many of his scrolls as we could carry along with his stash of Liquid Fire and followed. I sealed every cave as tight as my bending would allow. After much celebration and all the Liquid Fire, the prisoners left to return to their lives.

Potim showed me what he had been working on since I left. It was a grand temple unlike the world had ever seen before. He said it was a building designed to cater to any person of any nation. It would need to be near a river large river that lead into the ocean for Waterbenders, have a metal training area for Firebenders so they don't burn the building down, a vast courtyard for Airbenders, and a quarry for Earthbenders to train.

We would have a dock so we could have access to ships. We would construct gymnasiums for weapons training, a library that would be the envy of the world and huge halls with a dormitory to house hundreds of people. He was most proud of his kitchen and garden. With the expansions he designed, you would be able to feed an army. We found a suitable location in the northern part of the Earth Kingdom and began building.

For two years, he and I built the built this grand structure. Wu Lai would stop by every so often to check on us and offer what help he could. Mostly, I think he liked the beds and the company more than doing any real work.

The Ice Dagger would bring the raw materials I could not make with bending. The crew would give us a hand when they were in port. Mashuka paid a pile of gold to get Potim to install one of those Fire Water devices on the Ice Dagger, saying it would help the morale of the crew.

Potim sent a few messenger hawks to Earthbenders that worked on the walls of Ba Sing Se. Every letter he sent resulted in one of his old workers joining us. Potim's cult of personality is one of the strongest forces I have ever seen.

When it was finished, we needed a name. We were playing Pai Sho when Potim used his favorite tactic against me, The White Lotus Gambit.

“Why do you always favor the White Lotus Gambit?" I'd asked. "You put all your pieces in danger on a gamble that has so little chance of success."

Have you ever seen a White Lotus blossom? In the wild, not in my garden." he said. "They come from fetid swamps, ripe with decay and surrounded by mud and grime. Most seeds will never take root. But if the plant manages to grow, the large leaves will rise above the filth and, as if a miracle, no dirt will stick to a singe petal. If they can get a foothold, they prove hardy -- the shade from their broad leaves will stunt the swamp weeds underneath. And though their bloom is brief, the sweet scent masks the swamp's odor, and each blossom appears as pristine as the leaves. It is an admirable flower." He studied the board, placing his lotus tile in the center.

“The White Lotus Gambit is about gathering your pieces in the right places, using their combined strength to do things they alone could never accomplish. A tactical gamble, as it can be difficult to maneuver so early in the game, but a nearly assured victory if completed."

Looking up, we locked eyes in understanding. "It's a good name, The White Lotus," I said, looking hopefully at the board. "And despite the odds, I think it can still bloom."

Now we find ourselves here. I have taken this chance to bring people from every nation together to make something stronger than the sum of it's parts. Together, we will do something the world has never seen.

My teachers were unlike any Avatar before me. Most would say that they are the problem with society. What could one learn from someone Dishonored, an Outcast, a Mutineer and a Dissident? I say these people are not the problem, but the solution. Their views are what we need to work towards.

The Fire Nation is set on a war that would burn the world, Shozuma would see them brought to peace. The Air Temples care only for their wealth and to exploit their lands, Wu Lai would see them reminded of their true self. The Water Tribes are drowning in their traditions and customs, Mashuka would see them rescued. The Earth Kingdom it crumbling from the corruption of its officials, Potim would see it restored.

I had spent years trying to become the one person to save the world, and I had failed more than I succeeded. When I was able to make advances, it was because we were working as a team. My greatest accomplishments were with people that I trusted. People of great skill and conviction.

You are one of those people. You are something special in this world. You have immense power, skill, and talent that makes you a force to be reckoned with. But you have something more than all that. Something more important than power or skill or anything that our foes could hope to posses.

You have good in you. You have a spirit that seeks to help those who cannot help themselves. You have the will to resort balance and bring peace.

Join us, and I believe we can save the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now it is time for you to make a choice.

 

One that will change the world.

 

Will you do nothing, and doom the world?

 

Or will you take the Avatar's hand,

 

join the Order of the White Lotus,

 

and write your own legend?

 


	8. White Lotus Orientation - Fire Nation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> These next four sections are intended as a larger overview of the world, giving you a chance to further develop stories for your players. It shows the current flavor of each of the nations from a stereotyped perspective. Each of the characters can be used as a launching point for missions and quests, or characters can be created from the various backgrounds and motifs that are presented here.

_Retired Sergeant Kouki turns his arm over, showing you where another deep scar had run, now leathery like the old swordmaster's skin._ **"There was a time when I was proud of my Nation, of my Lord. But, children these days... p'tui. The Fire Nation has changed. Have you been there, recruit?"**

**The Fire Nation**

When you find a land that smells of brimstone and coal, you will find yourself in the Fire Nation. Our island home lies to the West, in a large archipelago stretching to the sunset. Most large cities are in the center of the chain, but there are villages on the surrounding islands as well.

We are a proud people, holding to the old ideals of honor and service to our Nation as of the highest importance. Our fire fuels us -- we burn with ambition like no others. We reward the boldest moves in war, the fastest victory, the naturally talented, the hardest working. It is as if we wish to burn out before our time has come.

**Firebenders**

I haven't the gifts or talent for it, but Firebending is a fierce art. I remember Benders training in our yard, from time to time. The forms were not that different from my own martial arts. They stand strong, punching and kicking with determined looks on their faces, summoning flame from the empty air. They say the heat of it comes from inside them, and can only be summoned or controlled by their own strength of will. They engulf themselves purposefully, testing their resolve.

Don't listen to the rumors, though. They're not fireproof -- I've seen burns that would paint you white. I don't know about you, but it takes a backwards sort of brave to sharpen your sword to a razor edge and call shaving "training."

**The Fire Lord**

Fire Lord Nazama is a cunning and powerful woman, suited to the title she has inherited. She was passed her throne from Fire Lord Kazko, her father, only a few years ago, may he rest in peace. It seemed a surprising choice to us all at the time, considering her previously reserved bearing in the palace. Most of us expected him to pick a son, but I suppose circumstances are what they are. Succession is always difficult in the Fire Nation. The crown can go to any relative of the royal family, and the ruling Lord can declare that heir whenever they choose.

If she was questioned at first, all doubts were silenced in her first month of rule. She issued an open challenge to any who questioned her right to the throne to an Agni Kai, promising that any who could defeat her would take the crown of the Fire Lord for themselves. She fought fifteen battles against the most powerful military leaders and nobles of the Fire Nation in a single day. She remains unburned.

**The Fire Military**

Lord Nazama's on some kind of mission to overhaul the Nation's standing force, increasing it and expanding it to become the best fighting outfit in the world. She's nervous about the Water Tribe's fleets, and the Earth Kingdom's armies -- she knows that having professional, specialized forces translates to worldwide power. But lacking the technology of either kingdom, she's making up for it in sheer numbers.

She's opened a military academy in every town and village large enough to merit a structure. Families are sent recruitment letters if their children show promise, especially if they are Firebenders. While parents are allowed to reject the letter, it is considered a dishonorable act, and poorer families often accept. After all, the family receives a small stipend while the child is training, and the child receives a free education. Not a great one, I'd add, but if anyone could have beaten reading and writing into me, it would have been military instructors. Since orphans are considered wards of the state, many are automatically entered into the Fire Nation war machine, but Dao Tsu can tell you more about that. The richer members of society can instead pay a fee to send their child to an officer's academy, ensuring that the entitled brats have solid careers ahead of them.

Each of these academies has been in operation several years now, and the result is that Nazama now has a loyal, fierce fighting force, old enough to be trained and young enough to desire glory. Every corner of the Nation is now consistantly patrolled by Nationally trained Police, Army, and Navy members. Her goal to double the standing force has been better than reached, and she has taken one unprecedented step that other armies have yet to try: she's allowing women to serve in the military.

The newest craze she's instituting are metal-armored ships. After the Battle of Haukfet Island, she's eager to establish our ships as "unsinkable." Firebenders on wooden ships weren't much of an idea in the first place, and slowing them with metal is a tactical nightmare. Most doubt the move, a few embrace it. It will be quite some time before they're ready to sail again, though.

**The Pohuai Stronghold**

Part of Nazama's restructuring of the military was to focus on non-benders. Other nations have neglected the use of non-benders in their military forces, seeing them as weaker than their Bending counterparts. If she seems a little crazy with the iron ships, at least on this we agree: A solid force wielding conventional arms is the key to a strong military. The result was the founding of Pohuai Stronghold, a training academy which focuses on non-bender military tactics. The spear, the sword and the bow are all taught, drilled, combined, and re-drilled to find newer and better ways of outsmarting, outmaneuvering, and overwhelming the enemy.

The most elite unit of these are the Yuyan Archers, the best of the best that the nation has to offer end up here. The last field drill I ever commanded faced a detachment of their men in an open field. It's poor form to use your veterans for target practice, but I get the point. Those archers earned their ego boost when each of us was crowned with paint from practice arrows in the exact same spot.

**The Capitol**

The smoky caldera that houses the Capitol City lies on the largest island, far to the west of our world. The dormant volcano is circled by a sharp ridge of well patrolled mountains and filled with noble's homes, barracks, schools, markets, and the like. The royal palace and grounds lie in the heart of the of the caldera. It's rumored that the constant heat from the volcano is what gives the royal family their unnatural gift for Firebending.

The tradespeople of the Capital do a large amount of work for the Fire Army and its forces. The support from the crown makes this the only industrious city of note, forging arms and armor, organizing the support staff, and feeding thousands. Consequently, most of the rich and powerful also choose to live in the city, ar at the least have a second home there. In the Fire Nation, it pays to stay close to the throne.

**The Triad Gangs**

Few gangs that set up in the Fire Nation last long. The extensive police force tolerates very little in the way of crime, and its punishments are severe. Only the most elusive and subtle groups could operate anything that resembles organized crime.

The Triads are more elegant than their predecessors. They focus on gambling, prostitution, and protection money, strongarming neighborhoods to gain power and money. Various gangs consistantly vie for position and territory in a shadow of the political struggles in the Palace. Influence is, to them, a form of coin. Information, as well.

If you think this shadowy behavior has made them dishonorable, I'm afraid you've been hearing me wrong. Triad leaders are deposed for lack of loyalty just as quick as you can snap your fingers. Any hint that an underling is ratting to the authorities is punished more severly than any whipping post I was stationed at.

**The Dishonored**

There's a special class of citizen reserved only for those who have disgraced themselves severely. Dishonored citizens have committed acts against the Fire Nation that are considered unforgivable. This can include dereliction of duty, openly questioning the Fire Lord, refusal to follow the order of a superior officer, or outright rebellion.

It's uncommon for it to be enacted, even with such a broad list of crimes. They reserve the title for the worst examples, though it tends to be used on Firebenders and ex-military more than anyone else. The poor saps are easy enough to spot. Once someone is branded as Dishonored, their head is burned so their hair never grows back. It is forbidden, on pain of becoming Dishonored yourself, to interact with these people as part of society.

Dishonored individuals are subject to constant abuse from citizens, and can never seek the shelter of the law. Some are kept as trophies to mock, some are hunted to exhaustion. Within the Fire Nation, the Dishonored are considered unemployable, unmarriable, and a lost cause. It's a cruel existence to say the least. The Dishonored are seen as less than human. At least we pay garbage the dignity of removal -- Dishonored citizens are forced to find their own way out of the country.

**Dragons**

Lived in the Fire Nation all my life and I only saw one once. Once! I still remember the way it serpentined through the sky, just unreal. Firebenders say it's these animals that taught us firebending, and so they are considered sacred to the Nation. Never bother to ask where they live -- it's bad luck to tell anyone where a Dragon roosts. But it always seems to be high, and warm, and far away from anyone who's foolish enough to want to meet a dragon face to face.

**On Other Nations**

**Air Temples:** I've never met a Nomad I didn't like. Good people, fun-loving, honest, and hardworking. No idea where the monks are, but I hear they don't like company.

 **Water Tribes:** There's two kinds of these fish in the sea. The kind from the North are mired in tradition even worse than we are. I don't trust them as far as I can spit. The kind from the South are alright -- until you're trying to barter, then they're ruthless.

 **Earth Kingdom:** They've had every advantage to make the most of their land and their people. Despite that, they seem to have a knack for abusing the power they so carefully gather. Kickass army, though.

 **The White Lotus:** I'm slow to warm to others, but I know how important allies are. If you're buying into Dao Tsu's vision, then you're on my side. We might not be friends, but you've got my sword and loyalty, on my honor as a soldier.

**Fire Nation People and Places of Note**

**General Hao** – Don't even get me started on this goon, the current General of the Fire Army. The big-headed fool is pushing for war with the Earth Kingdom. He believes that their current strength is great enough for a full on invasion. He's already come up with the title “Rock Breaker” to denote his conquest of the Earth Kingdom. Nazama's an idiot if she lets him.

 **Admiral Zubal** – The Admiral of the Fire Navy is all on board for the metal-clad ships. Where he plans to get the metal from, I haven't a clue. The Fire Nation mines just aren't that rich, and the best source is the Earth Kingdom. I assume General Hao has some choice words to say about instigating large-scale trade with the Earth Kingdom.

 **Captain Ka Fen** – The only military man with any grit left in the ranks. Captain of the Yuyan Archers, he is more interested in honing their skills than using them in battle. He considers combat at this level to be an art, not just a tactic, and he respects his men twice as much as he pushes them.

 **The Blue Boss** – Leader of the Blue Fire Triad. The only intel I know for sure is that he exists, wields blue fire, and never leaves the Capitol. Outside of that, it's all rumors. The Blue Fire Triad has terrorized the Fire Nation Capitol city for many years. We know that the members are fanatically devoted, giving their lives based on his whims. The Boss himself is impossible to pin down, an escape artist for sure, and he's rumored to have a temper as furious as his fire.

 **Ikuzo Harbor** – My first assignment was next to the main harbor for the Capital. Most foreign material heading for the caldera goes directly through customs in this harbor. As there's many strangers on the street, it's a natural cultural melting pot. The market there has the only vegetarian food I could ever stomach, made by an old Air Nomad friend of mine who bedded down for good. And that says something from an old Fire Nation soul.

 **Zaga Village** – I've never been, but there's something about this place that's odd. The town was built on the remains of a vast forest that burned in a wild fire many years ago. It seems like every other talented Firebender I met was born there. The Fire Army's main training base for new conscripts was built just outside the village, just to make the residents more inclined to have their children join.

 **Kaz Mountain** – I tried to scale this tigerdillo of a mountain when I was just a pup. It's the highest peak in the Fire Nation, with dangerously sheer sides and few paths. Plenty fools try every year, and most give up. A few are never seen again. A slimmer few make it back to the local bar. Whatever it is, it's worth the bragging points to find out what's up there.

 

 


	9. White Lotus Orientation - Air Temple Territories

_Dama stops grooming Daisy the Sky Bison long enough to give you a quizzical look. She sets down her tools an_ _d offers the animal a carrot, takes a bite of another one for herself, and offers the last one to you._ **"Home? Can't say that I've ever had one -- but you** _**could** _ **say I have several..."**

**The Air Temples**

Where the air is crisp, and you see people in the sky with their Bison, you're in the Air Temple Territories. The Air Temples are scattered throughout the world, having no Capital city. And as the old Nomad saying goes, “Any direction you choose to go will lead you towards an Air Temple.”

I heard once in the past the Air Temples made up one true Air Nation. They would travel around the world, stopping at the Temples to refresh and gather for festivals or meditation. I hardly believe it, though. Once in a great while, the Abbots of each Temple will gather to talk politics, but nothing more than sour greetings ever seem to come of it.

Each of the Temples operate as their own tiny nation, proud of their territory and achievements, but lacking the bargaining power of the other Nations. As a result, their natural resources are being harvested in ways that make the old monks blush. Strip mining, clear-cutting, and massive farming projects are underway in lands that hadn't been touched in generations. They are the largest source of untapped ore, timber, and farming potential in the world.

Families in Temple Lands are unorthodox, at least when compared to the rest of the world. Each village and temple runs like a single, very large family. Heck, I was raised by three fathers, two mothers, and an errant moo-sow in our caravan. We know where our blood relations are, but it's considered normal to separate a child from their close family to let them find their true purpose. Wild children get sent to farms to "cool down," shy children go to Nomads to open up, and Airbenders go to Temples to hone their skills.

This used to work well, but with the focus on production of goods, not the self, we're all a little lost. Instead of pursuing our dreams, we're told what to do. And that eats at all of us, deep down. It's probably why so many of us now are nomads, scattered throughout the Nations, calling no place home.

**Airbenders**

Airbenders are an interesting bunch. The art is fluid, rarely trying to hit something. But they hone their techniques and practice to such a degree that they can go toe-to-toe with anyone in a fair fight. And any other Bender would give their right arm to fly on a glider. They practice meditation and try to remove themselves from the world, like air. But something about that gives a lot of them a good sense of humor.

**The Western Air Temple**

The Western Air Temple lies in a chain of islands north of the Fire Nation. The main Temple grounds were carved under a cliff-face, and are only accessible to Airbenders and those carried on Sky Bison. The plains above the Temple are where the non-benders live in their huts.

They're friendly with the Fire Nation, in an always-be-nice-to-the-neighbors-even-when-they're-stuck-up-jerks kind of way. They make a boatload of money selling staple crops like Wheat and Rice. Fly over those parched islands and you'll see why: anyplace that's marginally lush gets turned into farms as soon as a Monk sees it.

Fasugo's their current Abbot, and in any other nation I'd say she's a ringer for ruler. She's managed to unify the farming communities around to collectively bargain for better prices, turning the Western Air Temple to one giant green space. Of course, it used to be all trees on the nearby plains, but that's a different story. You also may like to know, in case you see her: the Abbot of the Western Air Temple is always chosen through a series of Airbending challenges. Tornadoes that can lift large rocks, Air Blades that can cut through trees, and flying at great speeds through narrow canyons are just a sample of the tests for becoming Abbot. Fasugo broke a ton of records in her trials and is practically an Airbending Bodhisattva.

The non-benders that live near the Western Air Temple generally stick to their farms, and the Airbenders are usually singled out to be in the monasteries. Airbenders spend so much of their time meditating, training, or politicking that they consider it the duty of everyone else to clean, cook, and do the manual labor needed to make all that wealth. They always struck me as needlessly pompous. Especially considering that they have a bandit problem, and sheltered on their cliffs they don't do jack about them.

**The Northern Air Temple**

The Northern Air Temple is tucked away to the most Northern part of the Earth Kingdom, and is the only place in the world where two Nations have any land borders. Luckily, the Earth Kingdom has long since considered this land spent and left it to the care of the Temple. It's peaceful, there.

The current Abbot of the Northern Air Temple is Gaha. I've never met her, because every time you call she seems to be meditating. I don't know how they pick a leader, precisely, but it's a sure bet it's something ancient, spiritual, and weird. They aren't rich in resources, but hold fast to the roots of the Air Nation as a place of enlightenment and guidance. It's one of the few areas you still hear regular talk of and dealings with Spirits.

Unlike most of the world, which sees Spirits as dangerous aggressors, the Northern Air Temple sees them as spiritual advisers and regularly participate in rituals and give offerings for their favor. Their festivals and prayer sessions that can go on for days if they think it will appease the Spirits.

One fun fact -- Northern Air Templers are encouraged to go on a walkabout -- to visit each of the temples and nations before taking formal vows as a Monk or Nun. So if you see some lost-looking kid in robes, give him a lift! Goodness knows they need all the help they can get.

**The Eastern Air Temple**

The string of islands to the East of the Earth Kingdom are the lands of the Eastern Air Temple. The Eastern Temple is nested in a series of tall mountain peaks -- none but Airbenders can reach it easily.

The youngest of the Abbots controls this area -- Zotoro. Usually only old wise guys end up ruling these peaks, but I heard he maneuvered in by outwitting, outbending, and just plain outing the competition. Blackmail was mentioned.

Only the Abbot of the Eastern Temple gets to have a say in how to operate their lucrative mines. The other monks usually inherit by seniority -- it's hard to imagine that any would turn down the the offer of money and influence. But however he got there, Zotoro is now in charge of the largest mining operation outside the Earth Kingdom.

Its too heavy for my darling Daisy, but the iron that comes out of the Eastern Air Temples lands are rich and prized. They export this ore all over the world, though much of it goes to the Earth Kingdom. It can only ever can leave by ship, and that means a complicated and dangerous system to get it out of the mountains and to a harbor.

Though Western Air Temple farmers have a tough row to hoe, it's the miners in the East that I truly pity. Mining is the antithesis of everything we stand for as a nation, leaving us exhausted, ill, and angry. Zotoro must be making a hefty sum to merit keeping those mines open.

**The Southern Air Temple**

Just above the Southern Water Tribe are the islands that make up the Southern Air Temple. The Temple is located on a series of lower altitude mountains that are more accessible for non-benders. As one would expect, they have close ties to the Bear Whale Trading Company and Southern Water Tribe.

Aasu is the ambitious Abbot of the South Temple. Like Zotoro, he maneuvered his way out of obscurity to become the Abbot. He is rarely seen in public, preferring to deal with others from the seclusion of his private quarters.

Since Aasu has become Abbot, the Southern Air Temple has been directed towards a single goal: aiding the Bear Whale Trading Company. Their ships need lumber, and the Southern Water Tribe has depleted any forests of quality. The Southern Templers, however, still have ancient groves of old wood, and they're getting top coin for suitable trees.

With the rise of the Bear Whales, there's been a direct increase in coin to the Southern Temple. As the people there have been getting used to the wealth, many have become lazy in their spiritual duties, and I'd say that they're the most distant from our nomadic heritage out of anyone. I even heard they were thinking of allowing the eating of meat.

Aasu and his advisers have commissioned numerous buildings and new monasteries with their newfound opulence, even though they don't have the people to fill them. I don't think that they'll be able to keep it up for long, though. I didn't see much green last time I passed through.

**The Air Nomads  
**

My people are the best of people. Why? Because we are what we were. Us Air Nomads call the sky home, needing only our Bison and a bedroll. We're free, completely, to go where we will, do business with whom we choose, sleep when we're tired, eat when we're hungry. Life is just grand.

Not that life is easy -- not in the least! You have to be accepted into a caravan, first. And even then there's duties to be done, animals to feed. You've got to have something to offer in terms of skills, too, since we can't carry much from town to town, and won't be on the ground long enough to farm. You have to be able to earn your keep from day one. Caravans that aren't careful with money or planning will be grounded after only a year or two.

The hardest thing to overcome is the prejudice, though. Most nations view us as theives and vagrants. It's easy to pick a fight with someone who will leave town if you raise a loud enough fuss. I was once involved in a fight with some Earth Kingdom Guards that didn't like the way I stacked firewood.

**Sky Bison**

Oh, how did I get Daisy? I didn't. She picked me, the darling. It's a Soulmate kind of thing.

Look, it doesn't happen often -- Sky Bison usually choose Airbenders as companions. But once in a great while, a Sky Bison calf will leave the herd, or force a caravan to land someplace odd, or what have you, and wanders off to choose a rider spontaneously. While I've never heard of a Sky Bison picking someone from outside our lands, it's common enough with the Nomads for them to choose someone who can't fly on their own. If you've got the spirit of a rider, they'll find you as sure as hummingbees find flowers.

It's how some of us become Nomads, actually. The Bison come, and the next caravan in town welcomes you with open arms. If it weren't for her, I'd still be threshing wheat in the West.

**The Gurus**

There are some real oddballs still lingering around the Northern Air Temple, calling themselves Gurus. They devote all their time and energy to harnessing the secrets of the inner, spiritual self by "unlocking their chakras," "meditating," and "eating wholesome food."

It always looks more like walking around in underwear, napping, and downing fruit juice to me, but other Benders, Air and beyond, will seek them out to enhance and refine their Bending skills. Whatever breeze feels good, I suppose.

**The Outcasts**

Watch out for these guys. Air temple folks are always vegetarians, pacifists, ascetics, and more. It's a rigid system passed down through the ages, with little to no flexibility, unlike their Bending. You always know what to expect if you see someone wearing Temple robes.

But if Airbenders are predictable, Outcasts are worse than the weather. When a person can't cope with life in the Temples, and if they are dumb enough to outright rebel or reject their rules, they aren't imprisoned like in other nations. Hard labor, forced meditations and fasts, or other "spirit purification" usually will break them down until they're as pliable as their element.

But when the crime is great, or if the offender repeats enough times, the person is labeled an Outcast. Outright forbidden to return to the Air Temple, they are branded on the right hand so they can be easily identified to all in the Air Territories: 出

I don't know of anyone who has joined the Outcasts willingly. It's not a party, or a guild, or a troupe that you try to get into. Outcasts are just that -- forced out of society and shunned by everyone they once knew. It is forbidden to speak with an Outcast, though most will break that rule long enough to tell them to leave. Outcasts are given no aid, shelter, or protection from Temple Grounds, and are often hunted down and persecuted by local bandits.

That doesn't men they're hated -- some Outcasts are there because they defended others. Some just didn't want to be vegetarians anymore, plain and simple. Most, especially the Benders, still practice their arts and meditate like they did before being branded. But in any case, you never know what to expect. Especially if they've killed before.

**On Other Neighbors:**

**The Water Tribes:** Everyone sees North and South, I've always seen two other tribes. There's the ones who prefer to freeze their penguinsealskins off, and the ones who get wanderlust and leave those icy wastes for warmer waters. Warm Water people are a well-traveled party-loving hoot; Cold Water people may as well be made of ice.

 **The Earth Kingdom** : Loud, noisy, and too rooted in dirt. They keep putting buildings up to the sky, and not admiring the clouds. Wholesome folks, but despite their schooling they never seem that bright to me.

 **The Fire Nation:** Dutiful, militaristic, and unapproachable on the outside; Opinionated, boisterous, and passionate on the inside, and never the two shall meet. Only one thing's for sure: if you get a Fire Nation fellow to show you his true colors, he'll be a friend for life.

 **The White Lotus:** I'm sick of being distrusted, scorned, and put down because I'm a Nomad. Dao Tsu just wants to walk along beside, and doesn't give a monkey-rat's tail what anyone thinks. When I can help, I surely will.

**Air Temple People and Places of Note**

**Nun Janu** – Thought to be the best Airbender in the world, I heard through a rumor that she was given the task of finding a way to chop trees faster, down in the Southern Air Temple. She succeeded, unfortunately. Most of the chopping is due to her Sandblade technique -- picking up debris and cutting it into things. I wouldn't want to cross her.

 **Yaochin** – This guy has a head on his shoulders, not the clouds. He's the head of the Sky Merchants, a group of Nomads that's working to get us together as one functioning merchant body, so we can all get fair prices and keep from being run out of town by the locals. He's a non-bender from the North, and he's getting more popular by the year.

 **Gyamo** – Outcast and real-life nightmare fuel. You'll know him if you see him -- he's got a jagged scar across his face and a branded hand. He was exiled for killing another Monk that he had a disagreement with over a melon patch. I head he'll do any job, for any person, for the right price.

 **Guru Mung** – He's a Guru in the Northern Air Temple. It's said that he can meditate in and out of the Spirit World quite easily, but is unwilling to share this knowledge with anyone else, and doesn't say why.

 **Tendu Farm** – This place has the biggest, longest, most boring airspace in the world. It's the largest and oldest farm in the Western Air Temple's lands, employing hundreds. Trust me, there's nothing less exciting to view than acres on acres of cabbages.

 **The Northern Spires** – Earthbenders like to race on land -- Airbenders like to cheat death in the sky. This jagged mountain range in the Northern Air Temple is known for its dangerous crosswinds and sharp rock outcroppings. Young Airbenders are known to gather here to show off their prowess with their gliders. It's one heck of a show, provided you can get up there in the first place.

 **The East Mountain Monastery** – I heard a great story about this place. It's one of numerous smaller monasteries that were built by the Eastern Air Temple. Legend has it that it was built on the remains of an ancient town, which was actually the lair of a powerful Spirit. The Spirit hasn't been seen in over a thousand years and nobody remembers its name, but our caravan leader steadfastly refused to land there the last few years. He wouldn't say why.

 **The Wuzaga Forest** – Boarqupines -- They look like little cuddly pincushions from the air. I'm told that the only time the word could ever be applied. In this forest in the Southern Air Temple, every attempt to cut timber is met with quills, whole packs of the beasts. The Bear Whales, and the locals who want Bear Whale Coins, are desperate for a solution.

 **The Cave of Whispers** – My favorite campfire story! This cave runs deep into the the mountains near the Eastern Air Temple. If you go in deep enough, they say you're bombarded with voices that reveal your deepest secrets, screaming at you until you are driven mad, or flee in terror. Good one, right?

 


	10. White Lotus Orientation - Water Tribes

_Pakalk's hands don't stop moving as he talks to you, his eyes darting back and forth to the conversation and the intricate knot work that's forming into a fine fishing net._ **"Banatoq Bay? The Foggy Swamp? The Ice Sheets? Been there. Been _all_ kinds of _all_ over there. I don't know that there's a place I haven't been, as long as it was on water..."**

**The Water Tribes**

When you stand on the pack ice, and the cold is so intense that you're pretty near sure your blood is freezing in your veins, you're in the homelands of the Water Tribes. Since frozen water to a Waterbender is as good as stone to an Earthbender, making yourself a floating palace is quick, easy, and ten kinds of cheap. Most of us Water folks live at the poles of our planet, so as to keep the ice from melting, of course. It's a sparse, cold place to have a home, but few outsiders bother to head that far North or South, so it's a quiet and safe place for us and our families.

Now, we don't have much in the way of resources. Ice and saltwater aren't good for trees, and the rocks are too far down for gettin' at to mine. But we've got plenty of critters there, and the bones, skins, and baleen are just fine for small boats, clothes, and weapons -- not to mention the good eats. Little ever goes to waste at home. We've had to for so long we don't know any other way.

It bears mentioning that my Northern cousins don't much get on with the Southern ones. The North is all about having the biggest, most well-trained Navy in the world. That's all well and good, but my Southern home is more interested in being the merchant kings and queens of the world.

It's a fight every time we get together -- who has more power? The best fighter in the world or the richest man in the world? The best fighter can beat up the richest man, sure, but the richest man can always pay ten others to beat up the fighter.

The Northern Tribe wants to bring us together to create one large Water Nation, but the Elders of the South aren't willing to turn their merchant ships into battleships. Who does business with a man-of-war? Not many.

The only safe subject in watering holes is how much we dislike the other nations. Let's face it, kids, you're _soft_. You walk a mile to hunt dinner, we paddle ten. You've got the chills because of a light frost, we live on icebergs. You got to learn to read and write? We memorized all our histories. We had to! Scrolls are hard to come by on glaciers. And with those traditions, only the most victorious fighters, the cleverest hunters, and the most talented healers make it to our songs and glory poems.

**Up North**

The Northern Water Tribe is currently following a stubborn old man named Kumak. He's a powerful Waterbender, but can't or won't get to the bottom of the social ills of the Northern Tribe. Remember how we waste nothing? That follows with our traditions, and Kumak's sure that strict adherence to the old ways is the best way to keep their society in line. And what's the biggest problem?

The same as always: women.

Before you go and put my head on a pike, rest assured, I'm _with_ you on this one, ladies. The biggest gripe is that women are forbidden to join the navy, which is like saying "you shall be forgotten in our glory poems" to every woman there. As a survivor of many schoolyard snowball fights with Southern Waterbending girls who shall remain nameless, mostly because I _lost_ every one, I can attest to what a ruthless, calculating asset they can be on a ship.

So if they can't go to sea, you'd think they could at least learn to Waterbend, right? Sadly they can't, and not for lack of wanting to do so. Women are forbidden from learning any Waterbending outside the healing arts. So while they have the best healers in the world, and even major injuries can be healed in a matter of days, they've missed a golden opportunity.

If that's not enough, most marriages are arranged. Wealthy, high-status men get their choice of ladies, and the women of the tribe have little to no say in the matter, as who they marry is up to their parents, namely their father. One cold marriage just keeps leading to another. It's not uncommon for women to run away from home, assuming they have the ability to leave at all since they can't sail, hunt, or Waterbend.

**The Northern Navy**

Now, even without the more fearsome gender aboard, the Northern Navy is the finest, fittest crew you could wish for. While there's a few folks, mostly older and non-bender, who stay at home and guard our cities, the best and the brightest go to sea in uniform. And I have to say, they're an organized bunch.

The bulk of the fleet is made up of Destroyers. They're sleek ships, about 100 feet long, with three masts and a shallow draw. Usually, they have a crew of marines for boarding and crack-shot archers stationed in protected spots in the rigging. The bigger ships, for when you've got a problem worth sinking, are Dreadnoughts. They're 150 or more feet long, heavier in the belly and better fortified. Some even have ice catapults or overgrown crossbows to attack fortified ships. The littler ones, usually only 70 or so feet long, are Corsairs. Given a skeleton crew of a couple Benders and able-bodied deckhands, they can move as quick as you'd blink -- great when you're flanking someone or running a blockade.

Now, why does this all matter? Pirates, mate. Lots of bloody, thieving, good-for-nothing poorly bred and worse of training pirates. For all the snow and ice, it's rich territory for furs and fish. Motley crews of folks looking to make easy money by looming in shipping lanes and stealing cargo -- or worse, the whole vessel -- are rampant in the northern seas. So don't be surprised if a Corsair politely shoos you off some fishing grounds with a few warning ice missiles. They've got a lot of ground to cover and surprisingly little patience.

**The Battle of Haukfet Island**

Oh, you haven't heard? I'm not surprised. Your Fire Nation teacher, Kouki, doesn't like talking of it much, but the Fire Nation gave attacking the North a try a few years back. My favorite glory poem for this is called the North Sea Rising, and -- the short version. Right.

Commander Yatu was considered the best officer in the Fire Navy, because he was loyal and brave and such. He commanded a small fleet of the most advanced ships that the Fire Navy had created. And because they're crazy, they were clad in metal hulls, and manned with the most elite Benders and archers they had to offer.

Yatu's best idea for glory is the dumbest one I've ever heard of. He took his five ships and invaded a small island in the Northern Water Tribe's territory -- Huakfet Island. The island didn't offer much in the way of resistance, as the only ones there were fisherfolk and their families who shrugged and went on fishing. Yatu installed himself as the governor and boasted he would defend _his_ island against any aggressor, for the honor of the Fire Nation, of course.

Well, you know what happens next, I bet. The Northern Water Tribe saw this as an act of war and they headed out with an entire fleet of ships. Five on twenty is never good odds, and what followed was the most embarrassing, most crushing defeat to the Fire Nation in years. The ironships were sunk in minutes, first by shearing off the masts and after by boarding and smashing through their hulls from the top deck until they hit water. Turns out they weren't iron on the bottoms -- just clad on the sides. They sank as fast as as Earthbenders on holiday at the shore.

I don't know how he got out, but Yatu hopped a small boat and managed to escape back to the Fire Nation. I bet the Northern Water Tribe let him go, just for a lark. Fire Lord Nazama declared Yatu Dishonored and executed him without delay -- that's as punished as they get, ruining your legacy and ensuring you can't redeem yourself. The Northern Tribe accepted her actions and didn't pursue the issue further, but they cruised around Fire Nation waters for months afterwards as a warning. Since then, the relationship between the Northern Water Tribe and the Fire Nation has been touchy at best.

**The Great Hunt**

A footnote, in case you're up North the right time of year. There's an old story from about a thousand years back, when a series of blizzards kept the Northern Tribe in their huts for 3 months. Having eaten every last scrap of fish and boot leather in the town, they had no choice but to brave the blizzards in search of game. Every able man went on the trip. Most died, but the handful who made it back brought enough to save the tribe from starvation.

In honor of the famine and feast, an annual hunt was added to the social calendar. Every year, the men of the Tribe go out for a solid two week hunt. The man who brings home the most meat is honored with a Polar Bear Dog skin cloak to signify his prowess. He earns the honorary title of “Huntmaster” until the next annual hunt takes place.

As fun as fishing can be, the modern hunt takes a heavy toll on the local animals. We've gotten much, much better at the fine art of stalking, butchering, and consuming prey, and with modern weapons and survival gear, many more animals than are needed for the darker months of winter are killed. So much is brought back that much of the meat spoils before it can be eaten or preserved.

And there is the heart of the issue. Many of the common folks find this practice to be barbaric, excessive, and out of place in today's world. More importantly, the slaughter of so many animals during the harshest part of winter is causing the system to collapse. Every year, the spoils are fewer and the pressure to find big ones is increased. At this rate, there won't be much more than salmonchovies to hunt in a few years.

**Down South**

My homewaters surround the South Pole, and it's in every way as rugged and harsh as our Northern cousin's coastlines. If anything, it's more so. The Southern Water Tribe's terrain is less stable, and the game more varied and mobile, so we don't have any major cities. If anything, we're semi-nomadic, going further inland when the penguin-seals are flocking, and venturing further North in ships when the local fish retreat mid-winter. Our Tribe is fiercely independent, refusing to accept any outside help or interference. And for the most part, this is wonderful -- we've kept our heritage and traditions, just like the North.

Probably because we like our privacy, we're not as unified as the Northern Water Tribe. There's no formal government, and most of the time we just point to the nearest old person when someone asks who's in charge. While a couple elders have more influence, it doesn't go farther than the closest three families, and our isolation means the rules and laws can swing drastically from one group to another. We trade, we talk, and we might go a few miles over to look for a wife, but none of us agree on a single ruler, much less where the ruler would come from or what that ruler can or should do.

But however far we roam, we've got one thing going for us: we can build a damn fine ship. Unlike Northerners, we've been building wooden ships for quite some time. The nearby Southern Air Temple territories are heavily forested, and have always been willing to part with some of their timber for the right price. A little neighborly negociating and we can even borrow the shoreline here and there to build them. And with our skills finely tuned, our sense of timing and opportunity ready, the inevitable happened.

**The Bear Whale Trading Company**

There's a lot of rumors and myths about Hamuko, the man who founded The Bear Whale Trading Company. With what he's been able to do, I'd say about half are probably true. What we do know for sure is limited: He was a Southern Water Tribesman without any Bending skill, born on a trading ship. When he realized the potential we had as a people, he used his guile and skill to talk the best Waterbenders into working for him.

See, he was the first to build large ships for a specifically Waterbending crew. Usually Benders work alone on small ships with no sails. That way you get all the control, but you can't move more than one person can catch and carry. Hamuko made a large ship with a shallow bottom, and only small sails for low drag. Once he talked a few Benders into working together to propel it, well, suddenly his ships were sailing rings around the competition. I heard he made it from the Southern Air Temple to the Northern Fortress in two weeks. That's instead of months, in case you were thinking of trying it.

He got a couple investors, and amassed a small pile of gold to build several of his custom ships. Then he bought out the previous investors generously and made himself an even bigger pile of gold running the company by himself and making even more ships. Now, he controls the Turtle-Lion's share of overseas trade. Nobody has more ships in action, not even the Northern Water Tribe's Navy.

His success is not without cost. It's reported that he spends his days alone working tirelessly running his company, constantly under guard by his private army, the Wolfseals. By undercutting all his competitors, he's driven most small operations out of business, or coerced other shipowners to join his cause. Nowadays, if you own a ship in the Southern Waters, you're probably owned by the Bear Whales. There's a good chance that if you're Fire Nation or Earth Kingdom folk, he owns your ship, too. That always raises some angry folks into doing something stupid.

Now, these aren't fighting ships. They're too small, and built for cargo, not crew. But this is still the main argument between the North and South Tribes. The North wants to be one Tribe, and fold these ships into one huge Navy. The South doesn't have a political leader they can parlay with, though, and Hamuko has been loud an clear with his opinion. The Bear Whales are a private company, with financial goals, and wouldn't be turned into some kind of merchant Navy even if the Tribes were unified.

You know what, I'm with him on this -- One big fleet? The Fire Nation would be declaring war in a heartbeat, scared at being stuck between a unified North and South, and the Earth Kingdom would jump in the business gap while we were busy with war. The bottom line: peace is profit, and business is not politics.

I can't complain about by treatment by the Bear Whales, either. I was sailing for twenty years, and they were the best of my life. The best pay by far, the best kept ship I've crewed, and Southern Water Tribe fellows all around. Hamuko sees it as his duty to look after us, and he's done it and then some. Some even call him the “Savior of the South.”

**The Bear Whale Defense Force**

While we don't have a standing Army or Navy proper, the Bear Whales fill in the gaps as needed. They have an entire school dedicated towards perfecting their Water Snake style of Bending. It was developed by Ulamantu, the very first person that Hamuko ever employed. It's a deceptively simple, three-man team style of Bending that can be used to propel ships or as a ship-to-ship attack in itself. Ulumantu is still perfecting the art, though there's no need for it. It's said he's the best Waterbender on the seas, and no-one in their right mind has challenged him for years.

**The Swamp Tribe**

The story goes that we've some relatives somewhere in the middle, who left the ice and never looked back. In the Earth Kingdom, if you head upriver far enough you'll arrive at a vast swampland with a large tree at its center. The Foggy Swamp, they call it, and it's well named. You can't see far in the daylight, and forget about night-sailing.

If you go, you'll see. It's full of strange animals, tripping vines, and stagnant water. I heard more tales of spirits there than at home, especially about that tree in the middle, and visions of the future. I blame the blackwater for making people stay -- calm water always makes the my people happy, for some reason. But they do have their share of fish and fruit, and I won't blame anyone for wanting easy living and a quiet space.

I did get to see one great sight there, though. There was a man that pulled down vines, once, and danced around in them. He said he could move them because they were full of water, and could be Bent to your will like anything else. No-one else believed me the next morning, though.

**Waterbenders**

Oh, I didn't tell you about them? I've worked with my share. Waterbenders can be as hard as ice or as soft as summer rain, or anywhere between at any time. They're like the rest of us, really, no two alike. The only common thing is they seem to be better at getting on with other people than the rest of us. Must be part of that "go with the flow" slogan they have.

I love watching them work, though. One move flows into another, and defending and attacking are often the same to them. Though, to be fair, a Waterbender on the ocean is as happy as a turtleduck in a pond -- especially if the moon is out.

**The Moon & Ocean**

Everyone else has these elusive creatures responsible for teaching them their Bending arts. Our teacher is right up there, every night. Waterbenders call the Moon and Ocean their masters, and the source of their power. The push and pull, and the way the two flow back and forth, trading power every night is what got us started. And it's well known that the fuller the Moon, the stronger the Bender, especially at sea. It follows for all us sailors, too. The tide is what it is, and we go along.

**Mutineers**

With our love of tradition, and adherence to it, there's a group of people I should mention in case you come across them, especially concerning Waterbending women from the Northern Tribe. Because they've always been told that strong wills are a good thing, and glory is something to strive for, and they never get the chance for either, there's a surprising number of rebels cropping up. Plenty of women, and even a few of the men, decide to slip away when they can to make their own lives elsewhere. Faking your death, going on "extended fishing trips," and accidental kidnappings are common enough to cause you to question the cause.

Most of the time, they get away with it. But sometimes, the Elders see through the lies, and when you're caught, the cost is high. Elders brand anyone who has wholly rejected Water Tribe life as a Mutineer, and ban them from returning to the Tribe. Families are ordered to disown and disavow any member who chooses this path, or they'll be kicked out, too.

Mutineers must leave the tribe with nothing but the clothes on their back and any provisions they can carry -- but no boats, no weapons, and no help from anyone they know. After that, they're on their own in one of the harshest lands in the world. The lucky ones, or the ones with the most grit, will make it out. But thanks to those pesky oral traditions, any Elder and all the Navy have an ongoing list of Mutineers not to be allowed to return. The penalty for doing so is capture, and death.

Most Mutineers end up on ships elsewhere, where the crew doesn't mind another set of hands that knows how to knot rope and reef sails. Maybe, a few make landfall, go inland, and don't look back. But a good number will end up right where you'd expect: on a Pirate ship, raiding for glory.

**Pirates**

Make no mistake, on the whole I _hate_ pirates. Cutthroats and villains of every shape and size find a ship, commandeer it, and sail off to reign havoc on coastlines everywhere. You only have to be boarded once by a crew under a strange flag to know how vicious and terrifying they can be. Getting caught by a boarding party means capture, followed by slavery, marooning, or death. Because pirate captains rarely care for anything as much as they care for gold, the death option is unlikely, but they'll do their damnest to make you wish for it.

Each ship is independent, held together by the will of the captain and crew, following rules of their own design. Not all who call these ships their homes are from the Water Tribes, but let's be honest, we're the majority. A few band together to make larger armadas, which is getting more common as the Northern Navy starts to travel in larger groups as well. The North Sea Serpents, in particular, are notorious for traveling in flotillas.

Now, it would be impolite for me not to give you a little hope. Not every strange ship is unfriendly, and not everyone is just in it for the money. Sometimes they band together to protect the locals, or for a particular cause that no one nation is getting involved in. A few ships are some kind of pirate-and-protector cross, trying to keep the brutes at bay and hold onto what little of the open sea that the Bear Whale Trading Company and the North Navy don't already claim.

Mashuka, and her crew of the Ice Dagger, are one such ship, but are by no means the only vessel out there on a mission. Befriend them if you can, and join them if you like. They're not something I wholly approve of, but at best they are doing some good, and at worst you'll have a good story for me next time we meet.

**Flags of the World**

**Earth Kingdom:** The only folks who can build structures as good as we build ships. If they take the time to learn to sail and swim, they'll be a force to reckon with. In the meantime, their interests always seem to end at the shore, which is fine by me.

 **Fire Nation:** I love the people, I just can't stand the attitude. Dunk 'em in the sea a couple times, let 'em air dry, and _then_ try talking to them. And never let those Firebender hotheads onto a wooden ship. It's just a bad idea, plain and simple.

 **Air Temples:** Have you ever seen and Airbender decide to work a sail? The speed they add to a ship awe-inspiring! These guys need to get their heads out of the clouds, pick a direction, and go for it. You can't have a ship crew with no captain and no goal, after all.

 **The White Lotus:** Crews can work together if they've got a good captain. Dao Tsu has picked a good crew so far. Sure, it's rough seas ahead, but I'm staying on.

**Folks and Harbors You've Heard Of**

**Admiral Seko** – Head of the Northern Navy. He's dangerous, cunning, and a legend in his own time. I wouldn't sign up for military duty for anyone, but this man makes the uniformed life look good.

 **Heme** – The paragon of Northern Water Tribe womanly virtues, and the Elder Healer in the Northern Water Tribe. Bored? He's the juicy part -- she's Pirate Queen Mashuka's _sister_. I heard she married the guy Mashuka ran out on, too. And I thought my family reunions were awkward!

 **Jak** – Probably the most dangerous man at sea. He's the Captain of the Serpent's Bite, and the leader of the worst outfit of Pirates afloat, The North Sea Serpents. Jak's a deadly Waterbender and a known murderer. If you see a black flag with a lionsnake, flee as fast as you can. Terror lives on those ships.

 **Jub** – This muddy guy is the Leader of the Swamp Tribe, but only because he was the only person that would take the job. He told me that it's the worst decision he ever made. I've only ever seen him fishing or sleeping, so I doubt his duties are too involved.

 **Banotoq Bay** – The furthest North port of the Southern Water Tribe, pointing directly at the Fire Nation. It's a rich fishing ground half of the year, and busy the rest with passing vessels, so it's the closest to a proper city that we've got.

 **Bear Whale Harbor** – Headquarters of the BWTC, and unofficial Capitol of the Southern Water Tribe. It's built on a rocky shoreline, so it's some of the only solid footing you'll get down there, and it's close enough to the Southern Air Temple territories that lumber is easy to come by.

 **Kotuo Village** – The village that started it all with the Annual Hunt. They're known for their well-crafted weapons, and three of the last five Huntmasters came from this village. Halomu is the current Huntmaster, and he couldn't be less sociable.

 **The Northern Fortress** – All-hallowed Capitol of the Northern Water Tribe, and the largest city they've got. Inside its icy walls is the largest military fort outside of the Earth Kingdom, and at its middle are the Northern Tribe Elders' seats of power. I never got too far inside the city, as the canals they have on the outside were where all the fun was.

 **Hoto Harbor** – Furthest South port town of the Northern Water Tribe, sometimes called the "Gateway to the North." Mostly a fishing village, but always busy with exotic imports heading to the Fortress. Its small fort is mostly a peacekeeping force for rowdy drunks, but the real threat there is that it's used as the headquarters and launching point for most of the Northern Navy.

 **The East Glacier** – I got stuck here once on shore leave. It's the second largest city in the North, and Mashuka's hometown, stuck even further North than the Fortress and right on the ice sheet, with a small and unimpressive harbor. There's not much around to do but sling ice, and conveniently, not only do the best Icebenders hail from here to begin with, but flock there to train for the Navy.


	11. White Lotus Orientation - Earth Kingdom

_Lian Huilang greets you in her office with a formal bow, setting her papers and seals aside. The bureaucrat wears her weary smile with dignity, but her painted face doesn't hide the circles under her eyes._ **"Where are my manners -- Do you take tea? No sugar? How proper. And yes, I always have a moment to spare to talk with my fellows."**

**The Earth Kingdom**

When the earth quakes at your every step and buildings rise up as majestic as mountains, you are surely in the Earth Kingdom. We live in the largest continent, stretching over the middle of the planet like a vast carpet of sand, stone, and fields. Vast forests, deep and winding rivers, rolling deserts and sculpted mountains are all in our domain.

Over the surface of it all, towns, villages, and cities rise high. We're experts at exploiting our resources, of which there are many. Rich mines for gemstones and ores, sturdy timber, open fields for grain and flax, and the richest of all, thousands upon thousands of loyal citizens. Each of us feels a tie to the land, an obligation to improve and further our home, town, and nation. We'll stubbornly pursue any goal, so long as we feel the target is true.

**Earthbenders**

The toughest of all Benders, in my opinion. Eartbending is a raw-looking, powerful art, with wide stances and forceful moves. Earthbenders must be stronger than their element in order to shape it, and even more stubborn to move it. Training involves brutally throwing stones and sand at one another and holding fast through it all. Dodging is considered poor form. Needless to say, I have far more talent and interest with my books than with my Bending. At best, it's a hobby.

I wouldn't in any way call it civilized, were it not for the ability of Earthbenders to help shape the rocks and bricks with which we create our buildings. Our ability to hold stones in place while mortar dries, for instance, is a key technique in our architecture. Though, I suppose, it also means we're equally good at tearing the buildings apart for ammunition should the need arise. It's quite a paradox.

**Badger Moles**

The original Earthbenders, these creatures still run rampant underground, especially near Omashu. I am sure there are a great number of them, though I couldn't point them out, even if you asked me to. It's a strangely comforting thought for me that they're underfoot, somewhere, continuing to tunnel and explore their deep homes, undeterred and uninterrupted.

**The Earth King**

Our Kingdom is ruled by a single Earth King or Queen, and the crown always passes to the eldest living member of the royal family. A simple tracing of the royal lineage shows who will be crowned next. King Rubo is the current monarch, aided strongly by his eldest son, Crown Prince Gao.

Rubo has always been a fine King with an even, steady temper.  Though, I will admit, I much preferred the company of his wife, Queen Juma. Juma was a patron of the arts, astute in matters of state, slow to anger but quick to act when necessary. She and I were classmates, once, well before her marriage. It was she who celebrated the arts, dance, and literature. She was rich with interests and culture, and the kingdom flourished with her.

The King was as enamored as the rest of us, positively smitten. But misfortune doesn't pause to admire a happy scene, and no life is fully charmed. Juma passed in childbirth, leaving behind her beloved King and Prince Gao, just over fifteen years ago. The Kingdom went into a year of mourning, and Rubo bore the worst of the pain. Some say that he has yet to get over the loss.

Rubo's advisers tried to compensate for the lack of leadership during his mourning. Ill-prepared and without the patient mediation of Queen Juma, their incompetence put the Kingdom into a slow decline. Its only been recently that the royals have resumed a more active leadership role. Gao, though young, is growing up with the same cunning I saw in Juma. By the time he was ten, he'd negotiated his way into most council meetings, and was running them himself two years later. As he approaches 16, there are rumors that King Rubo may voluntarily step down. Prince Gao has demonstrated a surprising amount of responsibility and acumen for one so young, and I, for one, wish him the best.

**Ba Sing Se**

My hometown is neither small, quaint, or simple. Ba Sing Se is the capital of the Earth Kingdom, and a massive demonstration of the prowess of our people. It lies to the northeast of the continent, and is the largest city in the world, without question or peer. Three rings of walls divide the city into sections, and these huge structures will surely defend us from any foe who dares try to enter. Each ring has a purpose, and entry to and from each ring is carefully monitored and regulated. Many who are born there never leave, as all of the Earth Kingdom is already trying to enter, so really, why travel?

The Lower Ring is where most residents live. With the completion of the outer wall about ten years ago, the newly enclosed space was used for local small farms, entire streets of merchants, and numerous crafting studios of good repute. The buildings are, for the most part, close to new, though a few older structures remain from before the area was enclosed.

The Middle Ring is where the richer citizens and most bureaucrats reside, as well as the most fashionable artisans and interesting intellectuals. The homes are larger and decorated more richly than the lower ring. Most appointments and positions are handed out from the King and his officials, and it's an unofficial requirement that we be able to maintain image at all times, or else be demoted or moved to a foreign province. Subterfuge and subplots run thick in the parts of the Ring where the bureaucrats live, and keeping up with the neighbors, though thrilling, can be exhausting.

The Upper Ring is reserved exclusively for the Royal Palace and Grounds. The most posh and important people are regularly hosted at extravagant formal affairs here, and the Palace has no equal in any nation. The finest stones, most intricate carvings, most plush furniture, and most formal of attitudes find this place their home. It is simply marvelous.

**Bureaucrats**

I may seem to be over-emphasizing the importance of paper-pushers, and for that, please forgive me. I do not mean to demean anyone, for surely each person has a talent of use. In the Earth Kingdom, however, talents of the mind are extremely valued. When you are young, you see, if you live in anything resembling a village or larger, you are sent away to school. Schools are highly competitive, and state-sponsored. Only the best are allowed to progress to the next level, and the rest return home to study the family trade.

If you manage to survive your basic schooling, you may apply for a government job, and like the schools, only the best and most qualified are taken. Government jobs are safe, and well-paid, and usually easy, if you've the mind for it, of course. And for every rank higher in the system, there are more tests, harder than the last. You haven't the least inkling of how many scrolls I've memorized getting to where I am today. But if you achieve a high rank, your salary and honor increase at the same rate. And why not? The work I do is intricate, analyzing numbers and checking that all sums are accurate.

While it's the King and his advisers who make the most decisions, it's the dedicated personnel such as myself who keep this magnificent nation running. Frankly, I can't think of any job I'd find more satisfying.

**The Earth Army**

Our military men are wholly unconcerned with the sea and boats -- we have no reason to be interested. Our entire country resides on land, and anyone who wishes to attack us will, eventually, have to make landfall. If they are so foolish as to do so, they will meet with the devastating, unwavering force of our Army.

The Earth Army, like our Bureaucrats, are specialized, highly trained, and well paid. The best of the best seek to join, and only the most competent rise to the top. Teams of Earthbenders and non-benders are used to their fullest extent, with each squad receiving special training in a handful of specific maneuvers, making them highly specialized and tactically predictable. Perhaps a squad only receives training on fighting in mountainous conditions, while another is focused on fighting on vast plains. Some Earthbenders sling Mud, others master building barricades for foot soldiers. While each unit on its own is somewhat limited, the overall effect is brutally efficient.

The military is led by a Council of Five Generals, and these positions are coveted by any military man. Appointees are often showered with praise and treasure, and they are the advisers to the Earth King on all military matters for life, unless one would choose to step down or retire. It's both an honor and a privilege.

**Omashu**

Omashu is a kingdom in its own right, with Queen Kufi ruling it, but it swears fealty to the Kings and Queens of Ba Sing Se, which keeps it in the fold of the Earth Kingdom. The whole second monarch situation has been tenuous at best, and has only been pushed further with the most recent Queen's rise.

Kufi is a forceful lady with top marks in both Academic and Earthbending pursuits. She was ordered by Prince Gao to arrange for a new Earthbending Military Academy to be built in Omashu, as there have always been a surprisingly high number of talented Earthbenders from the area. Kufi being not only qualified for the position, but the daughter of one of the Council of Five, she was an obvious choice for the task.

As she trained in Omashu with the locals, she saw that the Earth Kingdom was hindering far more than it helped. For one, the taxes in the area were unreasonably high, and the leadership were always Ba Sing Se insiders more interested in exploiting the area's resources than promoting a healthy infrastructure. Over the course of a few years, Kufi rallied her school and plotted the overthrow of the governor with her now highly trained, unflinchingly loyal students.

In an evening of surprisingly little violence, Kufi managed to eject the previous leadership and declare independence, backed by her own personal guard. None of the previous rulers were harmed -- they returned to their lives in Ba Sing Se embarrassed, but alive. Gao was furious, as were all the King's advisers, but King Rubo was never one to rush into war. He sent a letter to Kufi, searching for understanding in her actions.

Kufi was firm in her intentions. She sought nothing less than independence, and didn't invite war, but promised that if war came to her, her troops would fight to the last person standing. As the city was designed for surviving a seige, and Omashu being an important province for production, Rubo decided to try a different tactic. They met in person, talking over their respective problems, and a peace accord was signed without a rock being thrown.

I've no idea how they accomplished it. Omashu remains part of the Earth Kingdom in name, but pays no taxes to Ba Sing Se. Queen Kufi retained her title, and is allowed to run the province as she sees fit. In turn, goods continue to flow to the Earth Kingdom proper, at a significantly lower price, and Kufi swore an oath to King Rubo, promising to send her Earthbenders in the event of war.

Now _that's_ diplomacy.

**The Desert Clans**

The only large desert in the World happens to fall in the center of the Earth Kingdom, and a more treacherous landscape has yet to be found. The swirling, shifting dunes are crawling with dangerous animals, vengeful Spirits, and unpredictable vagabonds, some of whom call this wasteland "home."

Sandbenders are adept Earthbenders that reside solely in the desert. I had the opportunity to go on a mission there, years back, and their techniques for Bending sand are unheard of outside that region. They can make a whole cloud of earth move as if it is wind, and use that power to drive sleds with sails across the landscape as easily as ink slides onto paper. Each clan has only a few dozen members, but there are over a hundred clans at the last count.

They are the most peculiar people I've ever met. Swinging between exceedingly polite and ruthlessly deceptive, they are wholly uninterested in Earth Kingdom politics. Most ignore any attempts to parley on the part of the King's emissaries, and the rest outright avoid it. The only interest I ever saw them express was in my tea, a fine blend they were more than happy to sample liberally without my permission. The Si Wong Desert remains an enigma.

**The Dissident**

I have heard every nation has its troublemakers, and we are no exception. If prison is seen as not harsh enough of a sentence, especially for crimes against the state itself, the offending party can be branded a Dissident. For those of high status, the mere thought is terrifying. Once declared a Dissident, you are sentenced to a prison term in the harshest prison available. However, once you are safely locked away, the true horror begins.

A Dissident's name is struck from all records. Any works that you may have accomplished, any titles you once held, any record of your name on any parchment is burned or removed. Families are told to forget that the offender existed, and the person is literally erased from both scroll and memory. If you are so lucky as to survive your prison sentence of decades or longer, you will return to a vast blank slate where your life once was. Without money, home, or connections, one has little choice than to seek asylum in the furthest corners of the world. Knowing this is a possibility, you must understand now why we often seem compliant to otherwise foolish officials.

**Surrounding Nations**

**The Fire Nation:** Hotheaded buffoons, for the most part. There's a saying among builders here: Perfect your base, then your walls, then your roof. They always rush the groundwork and are surprised when the walls collapse, all while only making plans for the roof.

 **The Air Temples:** A lovely bunch who always stood on ceremony when visiting. Pity the monks can't seem to run their territories with any effeciency, though. I'm sure they'll get the hang of it in time.

 **The Water Tribes:** Dirty, backwards, lazy swamp mongrels, the lot of them, drooling over possum-chicken and... oh, you meant the ones at the poles?  I would love to procure written versions of their Glory Poems.  If you get a chance to listen to one near the ocean, it is truly enchanting.

 **The White Lotus:** We're not all that different on paper. If I were to create your portrait with words and deeds, I'll bet we look about the same. It was the Avatar who taught me that. I'm putting my best foot forward with the rest of them.

**Earth Kingdom People and Places of Note**

**The Dust Devils** – This elite squad is a public secret -- their exploits and prowess are well known, but none have ever met or identified a member of the unit in person. The Dust Devils are an Earthbending task force that specializes in Sandbending, making them a force to be reckoned with in any territory.

 **Fung City** – Home of the Beifung Family, an ancient, prestigious family of vast wealth. They're one of the top contractors with the government for construction work. Their extensive influence is felt in all parts of our nation. Bureaucratic posts here are impossible to get without significant influence, even for me, but skilled workers are always in demand for their teams of builders if you're in need of a job.

 **Dotum** – A border town of the Si Wong Desert, and a common launching point for those who wish to cross the sands. Because if its location, the town is a melting pot of all the cultures of the Earth Kingdom. In fairness, most travelers in Dotum are looking to leave a significant distance behind them if they've reached this midpoint of the Kingdom, and it's more like a city of runaways than a permanent settlement.

 **The Misty Palms Oasis** – An Oasis in the middle of the Si Wong Desert, known for its rare juice drinks and seedy underbelly of illegal activities. I once heard a policeman call it "the greatest hive of scum and villany in the world." As it can only be accessed through the heart of the Si Wong, the only regular travelers it sees are Sandbenders, and the occasional unhappy bureaucrat who hasn't got a taste for cactus juice.

 **Bing Ju, the Walking Mountain -** I was told stories of this giant when I was a child. Bing Ju was a Spirit residing in a vast mountain range, a huge immortal beast of the permanence and majesty of nature. When they began to quarry stone for the third Ring of Ba Sing Se, some braggart decided to take the stone from the heart of those mountains, boasting that the Third Wall would never fall again as it was made from the powerful spirit's bones. Bing Ju lost his way, then, homeless, and is rumored to wander about the world, searching for his new home.

 **The Tall Watcher -** The only story not involving mud, fishing, or boats that I heard while in Foggy Swamp that was of any interest at all was of this spirit. The Tall Watcher is said to be an ancient being of passive nature, associated with the banyan grove at the heart of the swamp. The Tall Watcher is as it's namesake -- a large creature with myriad eyes that wishes merely to see everything. They say from that as the tree is connected to all things, the Tall Watcher views them. Reaching the grove is perilous, but I expect that the trip would be worth it to speak to such a creature.


End file.
